An Impossible World
by Lonely Rain
Summary: When the regulars move into an old house and are thrown into a world of impossibilities and war, can they fulfill a prophecy of stars and free Arienai from years of torment? tezufujiryo. summary reedited. storyline is still the same though!
1. Chapter 1  The Attic

An Impossible World

Chapter One- The Attic

Disclaimer: (cries) Tenipuri is not mne. anything else is.

Summary: When the regulars move into an old house and are thrown into a world of impossibilities and war, can they overcome tragedy or will strange politics split them against each other? forever. Pairings up for debate.

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Fuji carefully walked up the stairs of the attic of the house the team shared. They had all decided to move in together so that they could be closer together for team functions. It was a large house with rooms for everyone and for guests. Although they had finished unpacking, no one had really explored the place let alone the attic. It was true that Fuji should be asleep; it was 3:30 am. But he wasn't sleepy and he had a feeling something life-changing was going to happen soon. Yumiko nee-san had called earlier and told him to be careful around the doors. Fuji didn't understand but his sister had yet to be wrong in her predictions.

The house was a beautiful Victorian house on a private beach in south Florida. It was three stories tall and the attic had a tower attached. The biggest surprise? It was all Ryoma's. None of the regulars believed that Ryoma would be able to afford the house let alone the many acres around it.

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_Ryoma looked up nervously at the house. It was as if he was waiting for something bad to happen._

_The other regulars didn't seem to notice as they were ogling at the house._

"_Oi, Echizen. How can you afford something like this? It's huge!"_

"_It's not mine, Momo-sempai, not until my father dies or gives it to me but it's been in our family since … kami only knows when."_

_Only Tezuka and Fuji heard what Ryoma said next, under his breath, "Actually, since the Ballow Wars."_

_Tezuka and Fuji exchanged confused looks before following the rest of the team into the house._

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Fuji pushed the memory of the previous morning out of his head as he noticed a soft blue light under the door coming from the attic. He reached out for the handle and nearly screamed when he felt a hand on his shoulder and outreaching arm. He turned around and nearly dropped in relief. It was just Ryoma and Tezuka. Tezuka looked confused and surprised when he saw Ryoma.

Ryoma, on the other hand, looked livid.

"What the hell do you think you're doing up here?" he hissed at them.

The other two were surprised, to say the least. Ryoma had never cursed at them before. Tezuka and Fuji looked at each other and then back to Ryoma. Ryoma seemed to remember something.

"Sorry. I just remembered that I forgot to say that the attic was off limits. Completely."

Ryoma looked at them, seeming to size them up. _But against what?,_ thought Fuji.

"Ryoma, what's in there? And how come we're not allowed to see it?" Fuji asked carefully. He didn't want to upset the younger man. That could prove to be very bad for everyone.

Ryoma sighed, "I don't know, Fuji-sempai. That is why I was up here now, getting ready for whatever could be on the other side of this door."

Tezuka finally spoke up, "Does it have anything to do with the Ballow Wars?"

Ryoma's eyes widened, "You heard that? Well, yes, it might have something to do with them." He paused. "Come on, if something happens, at least I'll be able to stop it, hopefully." The last part was just whispered, but the other two heard it anyway. They swallowed their nervousness from that word and watched as Ryoma twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open, flooding the stairway with blue light.

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please tell me how i'm doing. this is my first fanfic. the pairing up for debate are:

Tezuka x Ryoma

Fuji x Ryoma

Tezuka x Ryoma x Fuji

comments loved. critisisms accepted. flames used to burn the flying monkeys disturbing my sleep.


	2. Chapter 2 The Door

An Impossible World

Chapter two-The Door

Disclaimer: i don't own so tell those damned flying monkeys to leave me alone!

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Fuji's eyes took awhile to clear even though the light was not that bright in the first place. Ryoma was standing in front of him as though he was frozen. Tezuka still had a hand on Fuji's shoulder, his other one rubbing his eyes. Fuji looked back at Tezuka and then back towards Ryoma who had yet to move. Fuji reached a hand out, again, to the younger boy; but he stopped when Ryoma hissed. Though Fuji was pretty sure it wasn't at him this time. 

Ryoma, on the other hand, had smelled blood. It was not normal human blood but Dryin (1) blood. Not only that, it was _familiar_ Dryin blood. That meant that there was a Door here. Anything could come out of a Door. Ryoma let out his breath in a long hiss. Of course, from where they were standing, none of them could see the Door. Ryoma slowly crouched down. He whispered to the two older men behind him.

"Shut the door behind you and stay at the door. Let nothing out and nothing in. Under no circumstances should anything get out of here. And for the safety of everyone else no one should enter. You both are already in severe danger. Make no noise until I call for you. Please." The two men looked at each other and backed up quietly to the door of the attic and shut it. They leaned against it half out of fear and fascination.

Ryoma stealthily crawled around the piled boxes near the attic door. He peeked around the edge of a particularly large box. There on the floor was a rectangle the size of a normal door. But instead of it looking like a normal door, it looked more like a shimmering, soft-blue pool. _There is indeed a Door. But who has come through it? _Ryoma pulled his head back and lifted one finger to his lips. He closed his eyes and evened his breath. "Recede and Respell." Ryoma whispered out the spell and opened his eyes, once again peeking around the box.

Ryoma watched as it seemed that the Door was gone. No light. No Door. Just an attic floor. Then, on the floor, there seemed to be a white outline tracing a rectangle the same size the Door had been. He watched as a shimmering blue ball appeared in the middle of the rectangle. The ball settled on the ground and immediately flattened and spread until it reached the white lines, thus creating the door. The time seemed to fast forward as the light suddenly grew and a creature covered in blood climbed out of the blue Door. It crawled over a couple of feet and collapsed on the opposite site of the Door from Ryoma. Ryoma saw the gold tendrils, that signaled the end of the spell he cast, spiral up and around before completely disappearing.

Ryoma instantly began calling upon his magic. "Protect" Ryoma whispered and flung his arms at the Door. A transparent gold shield-like barrier wrapped around the Door. Ryoma stood up and walked back to the attic door with haste. He was rather surprised when he heard both Fuji and Tezuka breathe a sigh of relief. Fuji even looked as if he was about to go over and hug the shorter man to make sure it was really him. Ryoma thanked his lucky stars that Fuji refrained from doing so. They needed some things for their guest and it was urgent.

"Buchou, Fuji-sempai, I need some help with something. Can one of you start a bath and get the first-aid kit ready? I also need a blanket and some rags. Please?" Ryoma was anxious. Who knew how long the creature had been injured. Fuji and Tezuka just looked at Ryoma as though he were crazy.

"Sure, but what is this all about Ryoma?" asked Fuji. Ryoma had turned around and started walking back around the boxes. He stopped and looked at them over his shoulder. He looked as if he was contemplating on telling them or not. Then he smiled.

"We have a new housemate."

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(1) Dryin- it's pronounced as DREEN. later in the story i'll post a dictionary of places and words and creatures. as for what a Dryin is... that will be discovered in the next chapter.XD (P.S. most mysteries of these two chapters will be found out in the next chapter.) 

AAhhh! chappie two is up! YAY! the pairings are still up for votes. i probably won't do anything much about pairings for awhile. i hope this chapter is not confusing but suspenseful. i'll try to work on longer chapters too. this one only rounds up to 861 words. PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!

the other regulars will appear in the next chapter for those wondering.

pairings up for debate and their tallies so far:

Tezuka x Ryoma x Fuji 2

Ryoma x Fuji 1

Tezuka x Ryoma 1

comments loved. critisisms appriciated. flames used to burn the flying monkeys disturbing my sleep.


	3. Chapter 3  The Language

An Impossible World

Chapter 3 - The Language

Disclaimer: don't own

this is dedicated to 1xmocha for her birthday. it would have been up yesterday if my computer hadn't been attacked by annoying flying monkeys.

on with the fic. enjoy.

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Although Fuji and Tezuka went about doing what Ryoma had asked of them, both were wondering who the new person was and where they where. After all, Ryoma had just turned the corner of piled boxes and told them they had a new guest and then disappeared back around the boxes. In the attic no less! At 3:45 in the morning! Fuji was in the bathroom filling the tub with water when Ryoma came in with something in his arms that was covered in blood. Tezuka was following him with a very surprised look, arms filled with towels, blankets, and rags. Ryoma placed the _thing_ under the shower. He grabbed a rag from Tezuka and turned the shower on. The gentle spray immediately began washing off the blood. Ryoma wet the rag under the shower's rain and gently started to clean the blood off around various cuts and small wounds on the creature's arms. 

Fuji and Tezuka watched in fascination as the blood covered creature changed into a human. Fuji noticed first that their new charge was not as fully human as one would have first expected. Something that looked like a tail was lying stretched out from behind it toward its feet. On top of its head were what looked like cat ears. _Is this thing a humanoid or something? Or are these attachments?_ Fuji wondered. As more blood and dirt was washed away, Tezuka and Fuji saw that whatever the creature was it was a female creature. Fuji watched Ryoma gently wash the female/feline with growing jealousy. Ryoma rarely ever acted gently to anyone other than his cat and his mother. Fuji for once felt lonely.

Tezuka, on the other hand, was in complete shock. He had gotten the blankets, towels, and rags when he met Ryoma in the hall carrying a bloody creature in his arms. Tezuka felt a twinge of something he didn't recognize when he saw Ryoma caring for it with the utmost gentleness. As the feline-like creature started to wake up under the shower's spray, Ryoma immediately sat back and put his hands up in a surrendered gesture. Before Tezuka or Fuji could react, the female had a knife at Ryoma's throat. Ryoma did not look panicked at all. He just sat there as bright sea-green eyes took in its surroundings.

"_Valeen Saymorn?" _(1) asked a low voice. It was obviously female, yet if she altered it enough it could be mistaken as a male's.

"_Floridal merlay sansat."_ (2)Ryoma replied, not at all bothered by the fact that he was speaking a language that did not exist on Earth.

"_Ilyn ryin macelit tunaket lacinber morkor."_ (3)Ryoma continued to speak in the language that had both Fuji and Tezuka confused.

The female nodded and the knife seemed to disappear into thin air. Ryoma stood up and took the rags and towels from Tezuka's arms and set them on the rack next to the tub. He motioned for Fuji and Tezuka to follow him out of the bathroom. They followed Ryoma to his room. There Ryoma pulled out a rag towel and set it on the floor.

"Sit down on this. I need to give her some clothes and then I'll be right back. Stay on that towel. Your clothes might have to be burned, though I doubt it." Ryoma grabbed a shirt and some sweatpants and jogged out of the room. Even from Ryoma's room they could hear him talking to the girl in the strange language. Tezuka saw Fuji's eyes opened in possessiveness and jealousy and shivered. _That girl had best tread carefully around Ryoma._

Ryoma returned and looked at them carefully. He was holding a plastic bag that seemed to be stained red. Fuji was curious about what was in the bag and Ryoma's earlier comment. "Ryoma," Fuji asked quietly, "What is going on here?" Ryoma looked at Fuji. He sighed.

"Fuji-sempai, I know you're anxious to know but it would be best if you waited until everyone else woke up. It would save very precious time. I can answer some questions but most will have to wait until everyone else is awake. In the meantime, I need to make sure there is no blood on your clothes. If there is, they need to be burned." Ryoma surprisingly exceeded his 10-word sentence in favour of just the sake of argument. Ryoma grabbed a black light off his desk and walked over to the two men standing on the towel.

Tezuka was the first to ask a question as Ryoma to the job of a security person and was going over them with the black light. "What language were you speaking?" Ryoma didn't even look up as he answered. "Forlenite (4). The language of the forgotten." He motioned that Tezuka could leave the blanket with all of his clothes and immediately proceeded to Fuji, who asked the next question. "What is she?"

Ryoma sighed before he answered, "Alright, you're both clean. The girl is a Dryin (5). Half cat, half human. She comes from another world called Arienai. It means impossible. Her name is hers to tell. Why she is here, I do not know. How she got here, through a Door in the attic. The Door, meaning a portal between Earth and Arienai." Ryoma sat down heavily on his desk chair while Fuji and Tezuka sat on Ryoma's bed.

Fuji voiced the question bothering Tezuka as well. "What did she ask in Forlenite and what did you say in return?"

Ryoma looked at them strangely. "She asked where she was. I told her 'Florida's west Door'. Then I told her that she should take a shower and clean up." Ryoma looked at the clock. 4:30. They still had time to kill before everyone else woke up. Just then the girl stood in the doorway. She was dressed in Ryoma's clothes. Now that the blood was gone, one could tell she was a rather captivating figure. She had shoulder-length, black curls. Her face was distinctly formed. Straight nose and high cheekbones, full lips and soft eyes. Very pretty. Her ears and tail only seemed to add to her charm.

"_Balthorn?_ (6)" Ryoma asked. The girl nodded. _"Spyral._ (7)" She replied. Ryoma nodded and pointed to his bed. Fuji and Tezuka immediately stood up. Ryoma waved them out of the room and stood up himself. The girl walked over to the bed and burrowed under the covers, instantly falling asleep. Ryoma walked out after he was sure the girl was asleep. He met up with Fuji and Tezuka in the hallway. He held up a pack of cards. "If you guys can't sleep, let's play cards until breakfast."

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1. Valeen Saymorn - where am i? 

2. Floridal merlay sansat - Florida's west Door

3. Ilyn ryin macelit tunaket lacinber morkor - shower and clean up. i'll be right back.

4. Forlenite - forgotten; main language of the Arienai.

5. Dryin - half cat half human. pronounced DREEN.

6. Balthorn - finished

7. Spyral - sleepy

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sorry it wasn't up yesterday. my computer decided to take the afternoon off. i updated twins and then it shot my internet connection. sorry if not that many questions were answered in this chapter. hopefully it will be in the next couple chapters.

the pairings will be decided within the next 5 chapters. i don't know which chapter exactly but it will most likely be within the next couple chapters. the pairings so far:

Tezuka x Ryoma x Fuji 4

Ryoma x Fuji 2

Tezuka x Ryoma 1

Read and Review. Please.

comments loved. critisisms appriciated. flames used to bur flying monkeys.


	4. Chapter 4 The Name

An Impossible World

Chapter 4

disclaimer: i don't own

next chapter.

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"Straight flush." Fuji said as he placed the cards on the table.

"Damn! You're too good, Fuji-sempai." Ryoma groaned.

"Ne, Kuni-chan, what do you have?" Fuji looked over Tezuka's shoulder at his hand. "Saa, Saa, you're better than me Kunimitsu." Tezuka laid down his cards.

"Royal flush." Ryoma pouted. Tezuka felt his insides quiver. Fuji hugged Ryoma.

"Ne, Ryoma-chan, you're so cute!" Fuji squealed.

"Fuji-sempai, I-" Fuji cut Ryoma off with a finger on the young man's soft lips. Fuji made a pout for himself.

"Mou, Ryoma-chan. I think it's time we introduce ourselves again." Both Tezuka and Ryoma looked confused.

"I'm Fuji Syuusuke, but you are to call me Syuusuke. He is Tezuka Kunimitsu, and you are to call him Kunimitsu or Kuni-chan." Fuji commanded as he pointed at Tezuka, who was now blushing.

Ryoma looked over at Tezuka. An evil smirk formed on his face. Ryoma leaned up against Fuji. His lips were mere centimeters away from Fuji's. "How about I just call him Kuni-bu, Syuu-chan?" Fuji was now sporting a blush; his eyes open in surprise and suppressed desire. Fuji was sorely tempted to close the very little distance and kiss the younger man senseless. He had little choice when his head was pushed. His lips crashed onto Ryoma's and his brain shut down. He felt Ryoma pull away in surprise. Fuji immediately pulled him back. Their lips danced together smoothly. Fuji licked Ryoma's bottom lip, asking for entrance. Sadly, Ryoma pulled away, gasping. Although he was still staring at Fuji, Ryoma voiced a question.

"Alright, who did that and why?" Ryoma asked nothing in particular; his eyes still riveted on Fuji's

"I did, and you might want to give some to the other guy. He looks like he wants some too." It was a familiar voice; female, too. But they couldn't pin the voice to the person. Ryoma and Fuji looked over at Tezuka. The man was blushing, hard. Ryoma walked around the table seductively and sat in Tezuka's lap.

Tezuka couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed Ryoma's chin and gently placed his lips on Ryoma's soft ones. Ryoma groaned into the kiss. Fuji felt himself getting hard. Fuji ignored it when he remembered that they were not alone anymore.

Fuji turned toward the refrigerator where the voice had been heard. There stood the girl-Dryin; he remembered-holding one of Ryoma's Ponta in her hands. She had a smile on her face as she watched Ryoma and Tezuka kissing by the table.

"You answered one part of Ryoma's question; the 'who' part, but why did you push my head?"fuji asked her.

The Dryin sighed, "He needs you. Both of you. He has and he will. He always will."

Fuji sent her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

The Dryin looked back to Ryoma, who was now snuggling into Tezuka's chest. She smiled. Her black cat ears flicked forward. "You two can give him the love and attention he has always needed. After all, his father is a perv and deeply cares for his son but doesn't show it. His mother is almost never around. She's always working. His cousin Nanako wasn't really much of an attention-lavishing person. All in all, he's grown up alone.

Fuji, sadly, understood. Ryoma acted cocky and arrogant because that was his way of getting attention. His own parents were always traveling the world, leaving him and his brother and sister alone. Fuji always thought he never really knew his parents. He didn't know his mother's favourite perfume. Fuji didn't know if his father preferred coffee or tea. Fuji understood Ryoma's desire for attention and affection.

Fuji pushed his thoughts away. He turned his attention back to the Dryin.

" What should we call you, miss?" he asked.

Ryoma, who, by now, had opened his opened his own Ponta, choked. Tezuka gently slapped him on the back. As Ryoma caught his breath, he watched the Dryin closely.

"Which name will you tell them?" Ryoma asked, ignoring the two men next to him.

The Dryin glared at him. "My birth name, Ajian Ame."

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surprise! i did the pairings earlier. i couldn't really figure out what should go where. this part was particularly hard. yes the decided pairing FOR NOW is Fuji x Ryoma x Tezuka.

(if you catch the meaning in the summary) XP

comments loved. critisisms appriciated. flames used to incerate the flying monkeys.


	5. Chapter 5 The Confusing Hello

An Impossible World

Chapter 5 – The Confusing Hello

Disclaimer: don't own don't sue.

new chappie up! yay!

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"Ajian Ame? Asian Rain?" Ryoma looked confused. 

The Dryin raised an eyebrow. "Yes, is that a problem?"

Ryoma looked at her curiously, "No, but, well, you never said that was your real name. We always called you Erin."

Ajian looked thoughtful, "True. You did, didn't you? Well, remember though, that was because I didn't know my real name. I was just Erin. After you left, I went on a quest for a medicine elf and found a stone etched in elfin ruins. I took it back to the elf and he read it to me. Basically, it said my name was Ajian Ame. I'll tell you the real inscription later. Right now, though, we have another couple of guests." Ajian looked pointedly at the stairs.

The three men looked over at the stairs. Eiji and Oishi came down. Eiji was half-asleep and still in his pajamas. Oishi was already dressed and wide awake. Ajian motioned for Fuji, Tezuka, and Ryoma to not pull attention toward her. Ryoma nodded. The three walked into the kitchen where Eiji and Oishi had disappeared. Ajian heard them start a conversation as she saw four more young men stumble down the stairs. Well, only one stumbled.

Ajian cast an invisibility spell on herself and crept into the kitchen. She knew Ryoma could sense her. She sent an urgent signal to him; she didn't have much magic left. Ryoma needed to introduce her soon. Thankfully, Ryoma caught the signal and nodded, catching everyone's attention.

Ryoma noticed this and sighed. "Ok. There is a reason why I offered my house as our new dorm house. And, no, it's not just out of the goodness of my heart. Before I go on, I have to ask two questions. First, and raise your hands, who believes in parallel universes?" His eyes swept the room. Everyone seemed surprised when Fuji and Tezuka raised their hands first.

Eiji's hand went up as well as Momo's. Kaidoh hissed but raised his hand. Taka looked a little confused but still raised his hand. Inui raised his pencil-clad hand and then lowered it to continue writing in his notebook, muttering, "Ii data." Oishi just shrugged. "I find it somewhat hard to believe." He said. "I do but I don't."

Ryoma continued, "Ok, second question, who believes in magic?" Again, Fuji and Tezuka raised there hands first. This time everyone but Oishi and Inui raised their hands. Inui's only response was, "It's illogical." Ryoma looked at his two new lovers, who nodded. Ryoma sighed. "Well, you two are most likely gonna start believing soon." Ryoma said, flapping his hand at them. In tune, Inui and Oishi said the same thing, "Why?"

"Because I'm going to prove both to you."

To say that everyone was surprised would be an understatement. Although Fuji and Tezuka expected something like this they still jumped in surprise. Eiji, Momo, and Oishi screamed. Taka fell out of his chair. Inui dropped his pencil and notebook, along with his jaw. Kaidoh froze. Fear and surprise could be clearly seen on his face. Ryoma laughed at their reactions.

As Ryoma tried to catch his breath, they all turned to the other chuckling voice. "I believe those are the funniest reactions out of all the times we've done this. That's why Ryoma is still laughing. I'm Ajian Ame from Arienai, a parallel universe." They all stared at the black-eared, -haired, and –tailed girl.

"Yes, I'm different. I'm a Dryin. A half-human, half-cat. I have magic. I just dispelled my invisibility spell. I can't do anymore magic right now as I have used it all opening the Door and killing Mirlacks(1). Mirlacks are dangerous creatures which you'll soon see. Anyway, my world is being destroyed by a human named Farthen Ballow who plans on-" she stopped as Ryoma started to choke.

"What is it with you and choking today?" Ajian asked, looking concerned. "Isn't it Farlor Ballow? Who's Farthen?" Ryoma asked.

"Farthen is Farlor's son. Half-Dryin son." Ajian's face had turned stony with suppressed anger. Ryoma showed shock. "H…How…How did he do that?" Ryoma face had a look of fear mixed with the earlier shock. "That's impossible! Farlor's a human. That is forbidden and impossible! Your gods forbade that!" Ryoma was nearly shouting with fear. He ran over to Fuji and threw his arms around the older man for comfort. Fuji returned the hug tightly. Ryoma buried his face in Fuji's chest. Fuji glared open-eyed at Ajian.

Ajian glared right back. "Baklo marjik vonier sarkik. Lonikr morlik narkil shojnir." Ryoma nodded into Fuji's chest. Ajian walked up the stairs, leaving Ryoma to explain to the rest of the people downstairs.

Finally, Momo spoke up. "Ryoma, no offense, but, what the hell is going on? What is she? Who's Farlor and Farthen Ballow? What's impossible and forbidden? What did she just say? And why are you hanging all over Fuji-sempai?" By the time Momo finished his question rant, everyone else was nodding and looking at Ryoma. Fuji answered the last question for the youngest of them by gently kissing Ryoma's hair.

Had Ryoma turned around, he would have laughed again at the reactions of his other sempai-tachi. Momo choked. Taka and Kaidoh blushed. Inui scratched away hurriedly in his notebook. Eiji latched onto Oishi and shouted, "Hoi, Oishi! Are they going out?"

Tezuka walked over and gently pulled Ryoma away from Fuji. Ryoma instantly let go of Fuji and burrowed his face into Tezuka's shirt. Tezuka ruffled Ryoma's hair and rubbed his back in comforting circles. "Hoi, Hoi! Oishi! It's a threesome!" Eiji was still shouting into Oishi's ears.

"Eiji-sempai, please stop shouting! I'm trying to think of a way to explain everything in the little time we have." Ryoma reluctantly pulled away from Tezuka's chest and rubbed his temples. "Ok, so nine of the stars have been found; two are close, but who is the twelfth?"

"Twelfth? Stars?" All of the regulars asked, completely lost on what was going on.

Ryoma answered absently, still thinking, "Yes, we are nine stars of the twelve skies. It is a prophecy in Arienai. The other two are Jirou and Monkey King. But who is the twelfth?"

"The twelfth is waiting in Arienai, as are Jirou and Atobe. We need to hurry. Introductions and then everyone get ready to go. Ryoma." Ajian came back down the stairs. Ryoma looked up at her with pleading eyes. Ajian sighed. "It was Juju. She defied the army and they took her to Farlor. That was ten years ago your time; just after you left. I'll tell you more later. Now, who's who?"

Tezuka reacted first. "Alright, fall in!" The regulars all stood in a line. Ryoma walked down the line.

"This is Tezuka Kunimitsu, the captain. Next is Fuji Syuusuke, the Tensai. The red-head is Kikumaru Eiji, the acrobat. Then Oishi Shuichiro, the vice-captain. The guy in the bandana is Kaidoh Kaoru, the Viper. That's Momoshiro -Momo- Takeshi, the Dunk Smash player. Then there's Kawamura Takashi, the power player and our resident cook. And last but never the least, Inui Sadaharu, the data player." Ryoma sighed as he finished the introductions.

Ajian nodded. "Ok. Now, you guys need to pack for an overnight trip. ESSENTIALS ONLY! Ryoma, could you help them? I'm going to make sure the Door is safe enough to pass through. It is ok to bring food but it had better be all gone by lunch the next day. Dire consequences for those who have food after that. Alright, you have 30 minutes to pack. After time is up, meet me in the attic." She turned to Ryoma, nodded, and walked up the stairs again.

Ryoma turned to his teammates. "Ok, lets go. I promise I'll explain everything after we get to Arienai. The forbidden and impossible stuff too, Momo-sempai. I'm already packed so I'm going to help you pack one by one. We'll start with you Inui-sempai."

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(1) Mirlacks. (Pronounced as Meerlacks) more explanations in the next chappie. (Sowwie)

My longest chapter yet. XD

sorry it took so long. i've been on a family vacation in the Grand Canyon for the past two weeks and am almost completely brain-dead. i'm sorry if this chapter is confusing. it's supposed to be that way. most of the explanations are in the next chapter.

**NEW POLL!**

**who should the twelfth star be?**

Kevin Smith

Echizen Ryoga

or a Female OC?

(about two or three chapters until the final decision.)

push the beautiful button below and review.


	6. Chapter 6 The Arrival

An Impossible World

Chapter 6 - The Arrival

Disclaimer: yeah yeah so i don't own. we KNOW!

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"Ok … Inui-sempai… you're not gonna be able to take that many notebooks with you. Two at most and they should be completely blank. Eiji-sempai, you don't need that much toothpaste." Ryoma sighed for the umpteenth time in the last 15 minutes. "Sempai-tachi, no offense, but please be reasonable. Fuji-sempai and Tezuka-buchou got it right the first time they tried. Well, somewhat… 

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"_Fuji-sempai, you can't take your cactus with you. And no, no special privileges just because I'm your boyfriend." Ryoma said calmly. Fuji pouted. Tezuka came up behind them. "Syuusuke, your cactus will be fine here. Besides, we won't be gone that long. Right Ryoma?" Ryoma nodded. "It will still be here when you get back." He turned around and walked over to Eiji who was stuffing his pack with toothpaste. _

_Fuji opened his eyes at Ryoma's last sentence. "Ne, Kunimitsu, do you get a bad feeling about this trip?" Tezuka looked at him strangely. "Surprisingly, I do." Fuji nodded and gently put his cactus down on the window sill. "Come on, let's go help Ryo-chan with the others." Tezuka put a hand on Fuji's back and pushed him into the hall way._

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Ryoma sighed. Again. "Ok. Two sets of clothes. Extra underwear. Two blankets. Oh yeah! Nearly forgot." Ryoma ran up to his room and dug in his closet. He came back down to the kitchen were everyone was waiting, holding a brown paper bag. He set it on the table and began pulling things out. As he set them down, the regulars crowded around curiously. They were surprised that Ryoma had such a large stash of daggers. They were in different lengths and styles. Not one dagger matched another.

After Ryoma had pulled out all of the daggers (there were 16 in all), he paused. He turned back towards the stairs, raised a hand and flicked a gold thread off of his hand. The regulars watched in awe as the gold thread wriggled in mid air before it flew up the stairs on its own.

Seconds later, Ajian came down the stairs. "You're lucky I finished with the healing ingredients. This should wait until we can get to a Senial Rains(1). We won't know exactly which ones go to who. But it's worth a try. The blood draw might work." Ryoma grumbled, "You could just create a Senial Rains." Ajian just gave him a look that asked if he was kidding. "And flood the place? No thanks." Ajian rolled her eyes as she sat down next to the table. " You got yours ready Ryoma?" the youngest nodded. Ryoma showed them all a dark green leather sheath holding a dark green leather-wrapped metal hilt. The pommel was in the shape of a frog.

"Good. The frog stands for fertility, rain, and abundance in life. The name of his dagger is Dæmin(2). Now this probably won't make much sense, but each of you have the properties of an animal. There are, of course, many different animals. The only issue is that the Senial Rains tell us what your animal is. Sometimes we can guess. For example, mine is the mountain lion. It was kind of noticed when I left on my own a lot and always brought travelers in. The mountain lion is solitary, silent, survives in the harshest environments and protects travelers. Ryoma had to go through a Senial Rains to figure out what his was.

"In Arienai, a child is presented with their 'life dagger'. A life dagger is basically what I'm going to give you now. It has the symbol of the animal which will protect you spiritually and reflects your personality most. Usually you would go through a Senial Rains. A Senial Rains looks like a small rain cloud about seven feet above the ground. You jump through the rain and on the other side those watching will see a picture of the animal bound to you hover over your head for a full minute and then it disappears. Another way of doing it is by the Blood Draw. The daggers are prepared beforehand. The dagger that has your animal will draw your blood and no one else's until it has drawn the owner's blood first. For instance, my dagger can draw anyone's blood because it has already drawn mine. However, these daggers here will not."

Ajian picked up one dagger, pulled it swiftly from it's sheath. The dagger itself was plain double-edged stainless steel and about 12 inches long. The hilt and sheath were plain but made of what looked like bear skin with the fur. In one smooth motion, Ajian pulled the blade across her palm. Everyone gasped when not one drop of blood fell to the floor. Without saying another word, she grabbed Tezuka's hand and drew the blade across his finger. Everyone gasped again as a drop of blood hit the floor. Fuji was looking murderous. His evil aura was leaking out. Fuji was about to say something when the cut on Tezuka's finger healed itself. The blood on the blade of the dagger seemed to be soaked into the blade itself and disappeared. Ajian returned the blade to its sheath. She looked at the spot on the blade just before the hilt. There, barely able to be seen was an engraving of a bear.

"Just as I thought. Tezuka-kun, yours is the bear. The bear is protective, has the ability to heal and comfort, has great strength, wisdom, and courage. The sheath is made out of bear skin. The hilt is covered with bear skin leather. This is the dagger that you will use most often. It is named Melceen(3) in Forlenite. Next is Fuji-kun. I believe you would be a raccoon." Ajian picked up a small dagger that had a black sheath and hilt. When Ajian pulled the blade out they saw that it too was black. Fuji offered his finger somewhat hesitantly. Ajian swiped the blade across the man's finger. Although Fuji's finger healed instantly, the blood was clearly seen on the black blade. They watched as the blood seemed to travel towards the hilt on its own. The blood pooled just above the hilt, and then an outline of a raccoon mask in Fuji's blood was all that could be seen. Ajian handed the dagger hilt first to Fuji. Fuji carefully took the hilt and drew it away from Ajian. He rubbed his thumb over the raccoon mask, startled that it was dry and engraved. "It's name is Athamé(4). She will cut away even the thickest rope in a matter of seconds but just for you. No one else will be able to use it like you will. The raccoon itself, your animal, represents: humor, playfulness, the ability to inquire and scrutinize, and you have an insatiably curiosity and are very mischievous."

"Taka-san, I believe that your animal is the beaver. If that's true, then this would be your dagger." Ajian picked up the smallest dagger. It had a white bone hilt and a silver painted leather sheath. She gently touched the edge to Taka's finger. The one drop of blood on the tip of the blade disappeared instantly. The imprint of a beaver and a pointed tree stump appeared on the sheath. Ajian looked in the bag and pulled out another dagger. It too had a white bone hilt and silver painted sheath. The imprint of the beaver appeared on the other leather sheath as well. "The smallest, Bolline(5), is used to cut herbs for food and healing only. The other is for battle and such. You will probably use both soon. The beaver stats that you will open new channels of thought and build dreams." Ajian picked up a curved knife next. She motioned for Inui to come over. Inui walked over warily. The buffalo horn hilt somehow fit comfortably with it's buffalo hide sheath. She pulled it out and drew the sharp inside edge over Inui's finger. No blood. Ajian frowned. She called for Momo. Again, no blood. "Kaido-kun, let's see if it chooses you." Kaido was very scared and hesitant to walk over and get his finger sliced. He let out a long hiss and closed his eyes as Ajian drew the dagger across his finger. He opened his eyes when he felt something wet. There was blood. He scowled at his cut as it healed itself. "Kaido, this is Kukri(6). He does enjoy being flung around as a boomerang, so don't worry about forgetting how to do a boomerang snake. Surprisingly, your animal is the buffalo not the snake. The buffalo stands for endurance though. That matches you enough."

Oishi received a thin dagger that had a light green leather wrapped hilt and leather sheath. A turtle was engraved on the blade of his dagger. "Your animal is the turtle, Oishi. The turtle means protection, longevity, wisdom and patience. Your dagger's name is Arthell(7)" Momo acquired a dagger with a wavy blade. The leather sheath was stamped with rabbits and the hilt was wrapped in rabbit skin. "Momo, the blade's name is Iberthia(8). She will perform well in battle for you. Your animal is the rabbit, meaning: alertness, abundance, prosperity and success." Inui received a dagger made of silver. "This is Narlíce(9). She represents your animal, there engraved on the sheath, the mule." Fuji and Ryoma snickered "The mule represents, tenacity, loyalty and a strong work ethic."

"Eiji, dear, come here. Don't think I've forgotten you. Your dagger is my favourite. I found it myself. I can tell your animal instantly. You are the hummingbird. The hummingbird stands for passion, joy, luck, energy, and romantic love. Personally, my favourite creature." Ajian handed Eiji a dagger with a mother-of-pearl hummingbird on the soft leather sheath. The hilt had a small silver loop on the pommel. There hanging from a leather thong, were two beautiful hummingbird tailfeathers. The blade itself looked as if it was mother-of-pearl. "Her name is Thelaan(10). She relies mainly on your trust. If you trust her not to break when you cut through steel, she won't. Very useful."

"B.. but… I can't … how?" Eiji stuttered. Ajian smiled. Eiji gently pulled the blade across his finger. The blood seemed to stain the blade but then it disappeared and the blade was as white as ever. Ajian patted Eiji on the head. She turned back to the table and picked out three more daggers. She put them in the pack she had brought down with her. Ryoma was directing the regulars to put their daggers either on their belts or in their packs. "Ok. Everyone Ready?"

"Hai!" "Good, up to the attic."

Everyone hurried upstairs. Ryoma reached it first and pushed the door open. When Ajian, the last person, walked through the crowd staring at the floor, everyone seemed to wake up.

"Ok. Ryoma, you show them how to do it. The best idea is to jump in head first, otherwise there could be painful consequences." Ryoma dived into the Door on the floor. A/N hey that rhymes! "Ryoma!" yelled all the regulars. Fuji dived in after Ryoma not really thinking about what might really happen to him. He felt the shimmering blue substance squeeze around him like a rubber tube. Then he was being shot out into the air. He was surprised when he landed on grass, having just left an attic. Fuji nearly jumped when Tezuka landed next to him with a soft thump. He looked at the Door and watched as each of the regulars popped out of the Door one right after another, landing in different places. Ajian came last and landed on her feet. She didn't stay that way, though. She fell to the grass laughing hard.

Ryoma came out from around a rock, holding a second pack. "What happened?" he asked Ajian.

"They… the way they… jumped in after… you!" Ajian lost it to another fit of giggles. The looks on everyone's faces only made it harder for her to calm down. After a few minutes, she finally did calm down. "They jumped in after you one right after another without thinking. The way they did it was even more funny. Too bad you missed it. So, has anyone realized where they are yet?" Ajian smiled as everyone looked around in awe. Fuji was the one who asked, "Where_ are_ we?"

Ajian smiled softly. "Arienai, Land of the Impossibilities.

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1.Senial Rains - rain cloudes that show what your protection/spirit animal is. they also have other purposes(hah. wait and see what they are!) 

2. Dæmin - rain frog

3. Melceen - River bear

4. Athamé - blood mask

5. Bolline - healing bone

6. Kukri - cavern snake

7. Arthell - turtle

8. Iberthia - Flame blade

9. Narlíce - mule

10. Thelaan - flying afore

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wow ... i mean... wow! my longest chapter. and i was expecting it to be short. ideas keep worming their way in. this story is ever changing. 

happy birthday to Gwynhafra!

the votes on the twelfth star are as follows:

Kevin 4

Ryoga 3

i decided to just drop the female OC. there is a reason for the twelfth star other than the prophecy.(very vague hint in the summary)

please review


	7. Chapter 7 The Fish

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN. XP

goodness, i haven't updated in so long

enjoy!

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It seemed that they were on a cloud but the ground beneath them was very much solid. Momo walked to the edge.

"Sugio! It's floating in the air!" Momo cried. Everyone except Ryoma and Ajian ran to the side and looked over.

Below was an expanse of land, as far off to the left as one could see. To the right was the sea.

The land itself was strange. The sand on the beach turned into a desert the farther on you went. There was a forest to the right of the desert. The trees getting taller the farther back they grew. To the left of the desert was an endless mountain range. The tall peaks barely seen through the clouds and each had a unique dusting of snow.

"Saolin's Sands center them all

While Paladin's Peaks stand Tallest of Tall.

Faelin's Forest stands to the right

While the Endless Sea goes right out of sight.

This is our land of impossibilities

Where everyone has every possibility.

The Great Land of Arienai" Ajian sang softly.

Fuji was the first to return to Ryoma and Ajian's side. "How do we get to wherever we're going?"

"We are going by fish of course." Ajian said with an innocent smile. By this time everyone had come back from the edge.

"WHAT!"

"Che, so loud. Fish. Flying Fish. That is what they are called." Ryoma said. He whistled three notes and the next thing they knew, they were staring into a huge fish eye.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" Everyone looked up as someone was falling from the sky. Everyone stepped back and watched the person slam into the ground. Ajian sighed. She walked over to the limp body.

"You are very stupid, Ryoga. I gave you permission to ride my fish not Ryoma's. What did you expect when he flipped you off to answer his master's call?" Ajian chided gently as she turned to man over. She checked him for bruises and broken bones while Ryoma ignored them in favour of playing with his fish. Fuji and Tezuka slipped over to Ryoma unnoticed.

"Hey Syuusuke, Kuni-bu. This is Faerin. Named after Faelin's Forest. Faerin, these are my boyfriends, Syuusuke Fuji and Kunimitsu Tezuka." The fish blinked and then nodded. Well it seemed as if it nodded since its eye moved up and down. Fuji and Tezuka stepped back slightly to look at their young boyfriend's pet. It was a black-scaled catfish. The fins were a fine crimson red. It was about the size of a football field.

"Alright. Is everyone ready to go?" Ajian asked. Ryoga was now standing and was amazed that he was still alive. "Ne, Chibisuke. How's it been going on Earth lately?"

"Great since you aren't there to annoy me." Ryoma said scathingly. Ryoma glared at him and Ryoga smiled innocently. Ajian sighed. "Alright. Anyway, only four people to a fish so I'll call my fish and Juju's. The people on each fish are as follows: Ryoma, Fuji, Tezuka, and me on Faerin. Taka, Eiji, Oishi, and Momo on Saosri. That's my fish. And Ryoga, Kaidoh, and Inui are on Reilin. That's Juju's fish." Ajian whistled six notes and instantly two more fish appeared. Both were catfish as well and the same size as Faerin. The one that went immediately towards Ajian was a blue-scaled fish with sea-green fins. The other fish was scaled a light pink and its fins were coloured black. Ajian gently kissed each fish right below the eye.

"Okay! Saosri is the blue one and Reilin is the pink one. You'll have to jump off the side of this floating island but the fish will be right beneath it so you'll land on their backs. First we are going to do a tour of Arienai and then we will be going to the Village in the Sea. Ask me questions afterwards. Yosh! Let's go." Ajian and Ryoma expertly jumped onto Faerin and waited as Tezuka and Fuji jumped down. Faerin 'swam' out into open air. It stopped a couple yards away and waited for everyone else to get on their respective fish.

"The reason I came with you two is because I need to talk to you about everything going on here." Ajian turned to the fish. "Faerin, we're taking them on a tour so take the long way to the Village in the Sea." The fish seemed to nod and 'swam' off in the direction of the Saolin Sands, the two other fish following. Ajian turned back to the three boys and saw that Ryoma sat in Fuji's lap who was leaning against Tezuka. She smiled.

"Farlor Ballow was a human who came to Arienai through a Door. The Doors were here and opened but we had no idea where they led to. Farlor was the first to come through to our side. He was new and different so we treated him like a god. It finally got to his head and he started to become our king. Most were fine with it and lots were not. Those that were not happy with the idea of him being our king under the gods decided that they were going to rebel. The whole fiasco led to the Ballow wars. That house that had the Door in the attic was built during that time for the rebels to hide their injured forces in. The rebels lost and most disappeared. Most of them, like Ryoma's father, crossed over to Earth and mated with humans. Although, some mated with their own kind. Farlor decided that he needed an heir to continue his reign. The problem was, a human male cannot get a Dryin female pregnant. The priests spoke to our gods and told us the gods said that it would not be allowed to happen without their consent and power. The next thing we know, Farlor is rumoured to have slept with his female Dryin prisoner and three weeks later, Juju is pregnant and released from imprisonment. She came to me crying and I had to tie her up a few times so she wouldn't kill herself and the baby. She died the moment she gave birth. Farlor came and took the infant away. He named it Farthen after himself and raised the boy. Now Farthen thinks that Farlor killed his mother, Juju, and wants to kill Farlor. The rebels are caught up in the middle and only the twelve stars of the skies can get us out of this." Ajian said.

"We're still not sure how Farlor got Juju pregnant. But recently Farthen found out that Juju did not want to have Farlor's child. Farthen realized that his mother was raped and then believed that Farlor killed Juju intentionally. Dryin babies are smaller than human babies. Dryin female bodies are created to give birth to Dryin babies from Dryin males. Therefore Juju's body did something it was not designed for and she ended up paying the cost with her life. So Farlor is without a willing heir, the rebels are wondering who to side with and Farthen is out to kill his father. You would think that Farthen would join the rebel forces but he refused and said that it would be a disgrace to his mother." She was interrupted when Ryoma sat straight up in Fuji's lap.

"He said WHAT? That little bastard. Didn't anyone tell him it was his mother who helped the most during the Ballow wars?" Ryoma fumed. Fuji tried to placate him with a hug and running his fingers through his hair. Ryoma calmed down a little with the attention. Ajian continued.

"Yes, he was told, he just didn't believe us. So we have a human who wants to conquer us, a human who wants to kill his father and no one knows what else, and the rebels who are confused as to what to do. All this tension is going to snap like a twig soon and we are going to have a three way battle at All Hallows. Again. The gods want Farlor dead, Farthen back on Earth and this world closed off from Earth. That means that unless we can change the gods' minds, you will have to choose where you will live for the rest of your lives. Without contact from the other world ever again. And let me tell you," Ajian said with a sad smile, "By the time your adventure here is over, it will probably be the toughest decision you will ever make in your life."

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whew! lot more of the history of Arienai. the reason this wasn't updated sooner was because the ending on the last chapter was like a cliffy for me. i had no idea what was happening next. i think i got myself back on track though.

please read and review!

Lonely Rain


	8. Chapter 8 The Village in the Sea

Disclaimer: i don't own

Sorry about the late overdue update.

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The four remained silent as they rode on the back of the great fish. On the wind, they could hear the gasps and calls of excitement and wonder at the landscape below. Fuji was holding on to Ryoma tightly, his face buried in the younger boy's neck. Tezuka had his arms wrapped around the two shorter men. They had passed the desert and forest and circled the mountains while Ajian had been talking. Abruptly, Ajian stood up. She faced the left side of Faerin, and began to chant in Forlenite. As she continued to chant, a whirlpool started to form in the Endless Sea. It grew continuously until its diameter reached that of three cruise ships together from Earth. Faerin immediately turned and dived into the whirlpool, the other two fish following closely. 

The regulars; except Fuji, Tezuka, and Ryoma, screamed. After all, when was the last time someone had been riding the back of a fish the size of a football field that could swim in the air and then suddenly dive into a humungous whirlpool? Ajian smirked and knelt down on the back of the great fish, preparing herself to jump of to save anyone who might fall off.

The fish dived into the whirlpool one after the other. As they swam, the regulars realized that they were basically in a tunnel in the middle of the Endless Sea. They stared in awe at the beautiful, strange fish swimming outside of the tunnel. After a while, the riders spotted a large glass dome. They watched as the fish swam around it once before swimming into a cave beneath the dome. The tunnel ended at a large hole in the bottom of the dome. The fish surfaced through the hole and the riders saw a dock next to each fish. Slowly everyone got off and met at the mainland where the docks ended.

"Everyone, Welcome to the Village in the Sea, also known as 'Kokopelli', and our capital." Ajian said with a yawn. "We should go to my place and bunk down for the night. I know you guys were too busy watching the scenic view to notice the sun was setting. Come on." Ajian turned and started off down a path. Ryoma went next, closely followed by Fuji and Tezuka. The rest of them followed with Ryoga bringing up the rear silently.

---------------------------------

The regulars stared in awe at the tall buildings under the glass-like dome. It was almost like they were back home. The high work office buildings and small old Japanese styled buildings interspersed with bars and restaurants. Sadly, all of them were closed. Ajian led them through countless streets and alleyways until they stopped in front of a four-storey Japanese styled house. Ajian clapped her hands together and whispered in Forlenite. A small opaque dome of magic shimmered before it disappeared. Ajian motioned for them to follow her inside.

Ajian opened the door as silently as she could. It didn't work when she heard a voice.

"Why did you wait until almost midnight to get here?" Ajian winced.

"Sorry, Lonnie. The fish took them on a sightseeing trip first."

Lonnie sighed. "Alright, send them into the kitchen we'll get them fed and then to bed."

Ajian and Ryoma ushered the rest of the boys into the kitchen. They ate quickly and then followed Ajian up the stairs.

"Ok. Oishi, Eiji, you're in the first door on the left. Kaidoh, Inui, you're in the first door on the right. Kawamura, Momo, you're in the second door on the right. Ryoma, Fuji, Tezuka, you all are in the second door on the left. Go to sleep! No messing around!" Ajian's last comment was mainly aimed at Ryoma, Fuji, and Tezuka. Fuji smiled, Tezuka glared and Ryoma blushed. Ajian walked down the hall to the last door on the left.

"Goodnight Boys!" the door snapped shut.

* * *

Again. I'm very sorry about the very late and overdue update. School has been hell as well as home. 

**NOTICE!!!!!!!! i'm thinking of letting someone else take over Apples and Starlings. if you would like to take over, please leave a small summary of your ideas for the rest of the story in your review. also please tell me HOW to let someone take over the story. i don't know if they just continue it or if i email the originals to the new author. PLEASE TELL ME HOW!**

ALSO i'm thinking of starting a new story. it is FujiTezuRyo. it is set in England in the year of 1772. Tezuka and Fuji are already married. Fuji is a berdache. Ryoma is an orphan who falls in love with the both of them. this will probably be about 15-20 chapters. i'm thinking of calling it **Polygyny's Theory. **The first chapter should be up Monday the 28th which is my birthday! YAY!

i have a few other ideas that involve POT and the 18th century. but we'll see.

the little button isn't just there to be pretty. please review!


	9. Chapter 9 The Kyraneths

6 June 2008

ENJOY!

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The morning dawned annoyingly early and with a very agonizing sound of metal on metal. Fuji was the first to wake up of the three boys in the room. Tezuka sat up with a very annoyed and sleepy growl. Ryoma buried his head in the pillow beneath him. The three boys were forced to awkwardly share the only bed in the room.

"Whoever that is making the racket had better stop soon or we're going to have a murder scene on our hands." Ryoma muttered, sitting up.

"Why?" Fuji asked sleepily.

"Because Ajian is not supposed to be woken up before noon unless she wakes up early on her own. Even if she did wake up early, that's not how she wakes anyone else up. It's not subtle. But this alarm seems familiar somehow…" Ryoma trailed off before his eyes widened considerably.

"Shit! Hurry and get dressed. Don't forget your daggers!" Ryoma said as he slipped on the clothes that were set out for them. Tezuka and Fuji watched silently as Ryoma dressed in clothes that looked like it was from a medieval time period. The shirt was off white and crisp with billowing full sleeves. The pants stopped just below Ryoma's knees and were a deep, rich brown colour. Ryoma sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled on the long white socks and then shoved his feet into the black knee high boots sitting on the floor. He stood up and turned around to see the lustful stares of his bedmates. Ryoma blushed and threw the other two piles of clothes at the two boys.

"Get dressed! Who knows what's going on outside." Ryoma muttered through his blush.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door.

"Come on, Ryoma! They're already trying to attack the dome!" Ajian's voice called out to the three boys. They could hear the urgency in her voice. "Ryoma! Don't make me come in there! We need the twelve stars."

"We're coming, Ajian." Ryoma turned to Tezuka and Fuji. "Get dressed! I'll be out in the hall."

The two older boys nodded and Ryoma walked out. Tezuka and Fuji dressed silently so that they could hear the conversation outside in the hall.

"What's going on, Ajian? Why are they attacking now? And how exactly are we going to fight them? They have no training or experience. And where are Monkey King and Jirou? And who is the twelfth? Don't tell me it's Ryoga." Ryoma said apprehensively.

"In order: Farlor is attacking with Kyraneths(1); probably because he wants to or knows you're here; instinct; outside already fighting; and fine, I won't tell you it's Ryoga." Ajian said neutrally.

"You expect them to fight on INSTINCT?" Ryoma cried.

"Yes. And besides, this way, they'll find out about each of their powers without hurting someone they might know. If they hurt anyone with the waking of their powers, it will be the enemy." Ajian replied.

Ryoma was about to retort when Tezuka and Fuji walked out a little hesitantly in their new clothes. Instead, Ryoma choked on the intake of breath and nearly had a nosebleed as he stared at his sempai/lovers. Fuji was dressed in a shirt that was blue enough to match his eyes and coupled with soft black pants that were a bit wide before they disappeared into the tops of his black fawn-leather boots. Tezuka was dressed in a soft, full, lavender shirt that was covered by a light brown tunic that reached mid-thigh. His light brown pants were slightly looser than skin-tight and you could see that they covered his lithe, shapely calves before sliding right into pirate-like boots.

Ryoma turned and immediately walked downstairs with an "I'll leave them to you" over his shoulder. Fuji and Tezuka looked at each other, wondering if they did something wrong. Ajian chuckled.

"Don't worry. He just knows that he has to concentrate on the fight and his two tasty little morsels of boyfriends are going to distract him. So he's going to be avoiding you until he has himself under control." Ajian said giggling evilly. Tezuka and Fuji blushed at the thought of Ryoma considering them 'tasty little morsels'.

"Come on, let's go help out the fight before they break the dome and we drown." Although Ajian said it nonchalantly, Fuji and Tezuka still shivered in fear.

_**#Even a broken clock is right twice a day.#**_

Ryoma ran outside, stopped, and sweat-dropped. The city was in a chaos. Dryins and Nymphs and the occasional Sprite were running around the streets as though the world was coming to an end. Ryoma would have laughed at the comical picture if the situation weren't so serious. He sighed and turned to see Ajian, Fuji and Tezuka right behind him.

"Let's go. The others are by the Fish docks." The three hurried down the road they had come just hours before. They saw the other regulars, Atobe and Jirou already on the docks. They too were dressed in medieval attire. When they got there, Eiji immediately glomped Ryoma.

"Ochibi! What are we supposed to do? Nya, Atobe said we're going to fight those strange-looking creatures but I don't understand how." Eiji whined as he shook his head.

"Get off of me and I'll show you how to make a 'Bubble Breather'." The regulars stared at Ryoma as if he were crazy. "What? How else do you expect to fight underwater?" Ryoma asked, annoyed.

"Okay, anyway. We don't have much time and this is a very simple spell that most of you should be able to get it on the first try. All you have to do is say, 'bubble breather respell' and then you have to _want_ to be able to breathe underwater through a bubble. Ryoma show them."

Ryoma sighed and closed his eyes. "Bubble breather respell." He whispered. Instantly, a bubble that looked like it was made of glass appeared around his body. Then the part of the bubble from the neck down started to enclose around the boy. Soon, Ryoma looked as if his body was coated in a thin layer of moveable glass while his head had a bubble around it.

"Now, Ryoma will be able to breathe underwater and keep himself dry. Now all of you have five tries to get this right. If you can't do it in five tries you will stay in here until the battle is over. Don't worry, you'll have your own share of fighting here. Not all of us can keep all of them from this water hole. Kyraneths can be land or water creatures. Those creatures are the Kyraneths." Ajian pointed up at the dome where the strange-looking creatures were.

The Kyraneths looked like bubbly, half-human, half-squid creatures. They had legs and feet like a human and eight long arms with tentacle like hands/fingers at the end. Their head was like a squid's but they had eyes like a human. Their skin was ranging from shades of blue to green. Everyone shivered as they saw the crazed look in the red eyes of a Kyraneth.

"Okay, now that you guys are officially scared of the Kyraneths, lets see how you do on the 'bubble breather'. Atobe, Ryoma, you guys go off and try to buy us a little time and relieve a couple of the Dryins already out there. I'll join you in a few minutes with the others. And Atobe, try not to get hurt. You're our best healer right now." Ajian said as she pushed Ryoma into the water. Atobe nodded and created his own 'bubble breather' before jumping in as well. Ajian turned to the other boys. "Now start trying!"

In the end, only Fuji, Tezuka, Inui, Eiji, and Kaidoh managed to create the 'bubble breather' correctly. Once Ajian was sure the spell was stable, she pushed them into the water. She left instructions to the last four boys before jumping in herself. Just before she went outside the dome she turned back to Oishi.

"If you see Ryoga, tell him to get his lazy ass outside." With that she left to help fight off the Kyraneths. Oishi and the others would have their hands full with enemy Water Sprites and the stray Kyraneth. She forgot to warn them all that a Kyraneth was a sexual creature and liked to play with humans, Neirlads(2), and Dryins the most. She hoped that these boys would fight hard to keep the Kyraneths from molesting them. Although, a small part of her brain told her it might be interesting to see something like that. Ajian shook her head and swam faster.

Just as she reached the end of the tunnel. She saw the new Neirlads struggling with one Kyraneth. She stayed back to watch them fight. It seemed that their daggers were doing minimal damage to the Kyraneth. She slapped the bubble around her head instead of the targeted forehead. She had forgotten to tell them where to target the Kyraneth so that it would be killed. As quick as a fish, Ajian swam up and motioned for the others to back away but watch closely. She pulled out her own dagger and swam lightning fast to the creature. She stopped right in front of the Kyraneth and used her dagger to slice the creature from between the legs and up. Although they were underwater, everyone could hear the scream of the dying Kyraneth. She motioned for the boys to gather around her. When they did, Ajian opened a mind link to all of them.

_That's how you kill them. Right between the legs and straight up. There were probably about a hundred out there when they first attacked. Therefore, there should only be about thirty to fourty left. Now that you know that, let me also tell you that Kyraneths are sexual creatures and won't hesitate to rape or molest you. That's what those tentacle arms are for. So Let's go relieve some other traumatized soldiers fighting,_ Ajian closed the mind link and swam out of the tunnel and into the open sea around the dome.

Tezuka and Fuji followed but kept a close eye out for Ryoma. The others were a bit more hesitant about going into open sea to fight sex crazed sea creatures, but swam out none the less. Suddenly, a tattered looking Ryoma shot by them with a Kyraneth attached to his leg. Tezuka and Fuji swam after their lover trying to get close enough to slice off the tentacles that were slowly creeping up Ryoma's lithe leg. Ryoma seemed to notice and circled back around to drag the Kyraneth between Fuji and Tezuka. Fuji sliced the tentacle arms with his Athamé and then held Ryoma in his arms as Tezuka used Melceen to kill the creature. Ryoma sagged in Fuji's grip. Just before he passed out, he mouthed to Fuji and Tezuka 'Thank you, guys'.

Fuji was startled that Ryoma just passed out but quickly recovered when he saw Ryoma's 'bubble breather' disappearing. Quickly he began to swim back to the tunnel so he could take Ryoma back inside the dome. Tezuka followed, confused for a moment until he saw Ryoma unconscious. Both boys hurried back to the tunnel and up into the Fish pool. As soon as they broke the surface, their 'bubble breathers' disappeared. Oishi and Jirou were fighting a Kyraneth while Momo and Taka-san were battling a rather mean looking Water Sprite. Tezuka snuck behind the Kyraneth and cut it down. Then he spun to stab the Water Sprite in the back Oishi and Jirou immediately went to help Fuji and Ryoma out of the Water as Tezuka, Momo, and Taka-san turned back to battle another slew of Water Sprites.

Fuji laid Ryoma down on his back and listened for his breathing. Instantly, Fuji began resuscitation. He secretly enjoyed the chance to basically kiss Ryoma in public like that, but he was worried about his lover. Just as Ryoma began coughing up water, lots of gasps were heard behind them. Fuji turned around to see half of the city cheering. Ajian helped Tezuka, Momo, and Taka-san finish off the Water Sprites. Atobe climbed out of the water looking slightly better that Ryoma, and collapsed next to said boy. A few females of different creature types emerged from the trees and houses around the Fish pool. They hurried forward and began to heal the injured. Oishi and Jirou, started to help and even learned a couple spells to heal. Fuji merely sat there and cuddled an unconscious, but breathing, Ryoma as Tezuka sat next to him. Ajian came over looking worse for wear and slumped down next to the three teens.

"So, how did you like your first battle?"

* * *

(1) Kyraneths - ocean creature that can survive on land as well for short periods of time. they have the the body of a human from the waist down and the body of a squid from the waist up. they have human eyes that are usually coloured red. the flesh is bubbly/boily and is usually a blue or green to help them blend in so as not to let their prey notice them.

(2) Neirlads - (pronounced 'Near- ads') basically magic users. the regulars don't really know their powers yet and this is how i will refer to them most of the time from now on.

ahh it feels good to update. now that it's summer updates and possibly new stories will come up. with no school to screw up my imagination, scenarios can freely come and go without me losing my train of thought.

please read and review.

Lovishnesses, Lonely Rain


	10. Chapter 10 The Scroll and The Fan

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry it's been so long since i last updated. there have been so many problems with the Economy and this being my senior year and starting college and needing money and a job! whew! but here is a new update.

December 24, 2008

ENJOY!!!!

* * *

"So, how did you like your first battle?"

Fuji glared at the cat-eared girl. "How did we like it?! Who could like a battle? Why are we fighting these strange creatures? If this is a world of impossibilities, then why are there wars? Wouldn't someone wish or want for no more wars, which is an impossibility on Earth?"

Ajian grimaced, "First, I said that with sarcasm, Fuji-kun. Second, we have a human leading this world, not a Dryin or a Neirlad like you guys. Farlor has no magic and therefore is completely powerless to create impossibilities except when the gods give him the power. The only way Juju was able to conceive a human child was because an evil god allowed it. And even then, Farlor's only power was to rape her. So he resorts to what he knows best and is his human instinct: war. We may wish for no war here in Arienai, but that doesn't mean that it can't happen. You humans are always at war, whether most of you know it or not. Here, we are at war only when someone interferes and argues with the gods and their plans."

Fuji growled and pulled Ryoma close to him. He still didn't like it. If this was a world of impossibilities, then how come it was at war? And why were they needed? Fuji remembered that Ajian had said something about them having powers, but none of them had showed any magical abilities. Fuji felt an arm encircle his shoulders. Tiredly, he slumped into Tezuka's embrace.

"What powers were we supposed to have?" Tezuka asked. Apparently he had the same question.

Ajian glanced at them. "Even though I said that to Ryoma, I didn't actually expect your 'special' powers to burst out today. Yes, all of you have magic that you can use at will, like the bubble breather, but you also have a 'special' magic that only you have and that only you can use. And while I said it was possible that your powers might awaken, I had sincerely hoped _not_. Because if it had, without supervision from me or Ryoma, you could have easily burned out your energy and died. These special powers of yours are not like those of Arienai's people. They can only be stopped by a master or someone familiar with the weaknesses of that type of power. So, while you would have certainly gotten rid of the Kyraneths, you most likely would have taken Kokopelli along with them as well as yourself."

Fuji and Tezuka looked at her with slightly horrified faces. "When will we be able to control these powers of ours?" Fuji whispered.

Ajian's ears flicked backwards and then back in Fuji's direction. "That's a very good question. Now you see why Ryoma wasn't so happy that you guys were supposed to fight on instinct. The control comes with practice and knowledge. You see, you have to know what your powers are to control them. The only problem with this is that you will never know your powers until you use them on accident. Basically you risk killing yourself with your own power before you even know what it is so that you can control it. Do you understand?"

"Not precisely, but please continue." Fuji said wryly.

Ajian grinned. "Take the power of Fyre. It's spelled differently than you know. F-Y-R-E instead of F-I-R-E; but anyway, discovering your powers is a little difficult. If you didn't know you could control Fyre, and then your powers surfaced spontaneously, you could burn yourself to death before you could even realize that Fyre was your power. That's why it is important to have a master around. Because we know all the powers."

Fuji nodded slowly and Ajian shrugged. "Let's go, Lonnie should be reheating breakfast." Fuji was about to stand and carry Ryoma when the boy was taken from his arms. Fuji looked up into Tezuka's eyes, which held love, tenderness, and affection.

"Kunimitsu…"Fuji whispered. Then he smiled and stood. They walked back to the house in silent companionship.

---------------------------------

Everyone in the dining room nearly had a heart attack when Ryoma came bursting through the door.

"Ajian! The Final battle. In. three…months. In…ah…Desert's Coven!" Ryoma cried, gasping.

Ajian looked at him, then down at her food. She put her chopsticks down and stood up gracefully. She turned and walked over to the mirror on the wall opposite the door.

"Spliene, Spliene,

Falvne sa tur,

Spire awr Dentrv,

Qinlu, Troun.

Shaou Louan

Spawntr sa Fleor,

Aveela nascul da la seowl,

Siyou hash shu nao."

~v~

"_Mirror, Mirror_

_Tell us all,_

_Spring and Summer,_

_Winter, Fall._

_Silver Enchantress_

_Show us Fate,_

_When the clock strikes twelve,_

_The world shall break."_

Ajian chanted the song twice, and then waited. Almost a full minute later, as if a drop of water hit a pond, a small ripple swept across the mirror. Slowly, a large, black, fan started to be pushed out of the mirror. Ajian grabbed the end and pulled the rest straight out. As soon as the fan was out of the mirror portal, a long, large, wooden tube started to come out. Ajian grabbed the end with one hand and pulled it out as well. Then she nodded to the mirror and with a fingertip, gently made another ripple on the mirror.

Ajian turned slowly back towards the table. "Ryoma, we have to do it."

"NO!" Ryoma cried. "No! We can't do that to them!"

"Ryoma! I don't like it either, but we have no choice. Your visions are always true. If we have three months, then that means there is no time to wait. I know you don't want to put them through that, but _we have no choice!_" Ajian said softly.

"Bunlin sho na, duani.(1)" Ryoma said reluctantly. He turned and walked out.

* * *

(1) - _Bulin sho na, duani - whatever you say, Princess._

Ah! so the first battle is over and now there is only three more months before everything ends. WHat is it that Ajian wants to do to the twelve stars? Why does Ryoma not want them to go through with it? well, we'll find out in the next installment on January 28, 2009!

Also, check out my new story! _SHARDS OF MY BROKEN REFLECTION_.

Read and Review!


	11. Chapter 11 The Training

Hello again! Enjoy!

January 28, 2009

The Training

* * *

The room was silent after Ryoma walked out. Fuji and Tezuka glared at Ajian. They didn't know what was going on, but by the actions of Ryoma, they could tell it wouldn't be very easy or nice and that the boy was rather upset. Ajian ignored them, instead looking hurt and pained. She turned away from the others still sitting at the table, ears flat against her head.

"Go to bed, boys. You'll be woken up early. Your training starts tomorrow." Ajian said without looking at anyone. She silently opened the window and jumped. Only Fuji saw the lone tear fall to land noiselessly to the windowsill. Slowly he stood up. He wasn't hungry anymore. "Goodnight, guys. I'm turning in now." Fuji left the room, sliding the door shut behind him. Fuji walked down the hallway to the last door. Gently, he opened it and peeked into the room. Ryoma was sitting at the window looking up into the water above the dome.

"Ryoma-chan? What's wrong?" Fuji slid onto the window seat behind his smaller boyfriend. He pulled the silent rookie into his arms and buried his face into the emerald-black locks. Ryoma shook his head before snuggling into Fuji's chest.

"Let's wait for Mitsu to come back. I don't want to explain it twice." Ryoma murmured. Fuji nodded and just cuddled the boy. He was startled when two strong, warm arms wrapped around both boys. Fuji smiled as he was squeezed from both of his lovers. Silence reigned comfortably between the three.

"It's going to be very painful. Most of the creatures here see what you will be doing tomorrow, as a game. It has four levels. The first is always the easiest but it is probably the most dangerous. The first level is where you discover your powers. The field is different for everyone. I will never know exactly what your field looks like. The first level is all in your mind. In a part that no one else can access. Ajian and I can lead you to that part in your brain, but we can't _see_ it. After that, you are on your own. What you see usually has to do with your power. Mine is Watre. Again, it isn't spelled the same way. It's W-A-T-R-E." Ryoma said.

"Why are they spelled differently?" Fuji interrupted.

"It's just the way the language works in Arienai. Anyway, my power is control of Watre. What I saw when I went to the first level was an ocean. It was on of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. It wasn't just blue; it wasn't clear, but a beautiful azure type of colour. It's really hard to describe it. But it was really pretty. The Watre listened to me. It swirled the way I wanted it to and it was really fun. But the dangerous thing was I didn't know how to get back. I panicked and the Watre stopped listening to me and I started to drown. If my father hadn't smacked me, I might not be here. I would have drowned in my mind. That's why it's so dangerous. If we don't forcefully waken your powers, it could be weeks before the reveal themselves. We just don't have that time. That's why Ajian says we should o it this way. I'm just afraid that one, if not all, of you might not make it back." Ryoma shivered and buried himself deeper into Fuji's chest.

The three of them pulled each other closer for comfort to each other in the dark silence.

---------------------------------------

The next morning dawned silently. Ajian floated through Ryoma, Fuji, and Tezuka's room. She delicately extracted Ryoma from the tangle of sheets and limbs and promptly dropped him on the floor.

"Oi!" Ryoma shouted as he sat up. Ajian glared at him and then stalked out of the room. Fuji sat up slowly while Tezuka searched with one arm for the now-absent-from-the-bed rookie.

"Ryoma? Daijoubu?" Fuji asked sleepily.

"Hai, Syuusuke. You two should probably wake up now. Or else Ajian might actually say something to me." Ryoma said with a wince. Fuji looked completely confused. Ryoma sighed, "Last time Ajian dumped me out of bed like that, she didn't speak to me at all. If she did, they were spells that either shocked me or rendered me completely defenseless, clueless, and confused. It lasted for a week, but who knows how long this bout will last."

Fuji blinked. "Why don't you just apologize? If we all only have three months left, why not treasure it as much as you can?" Tezuka asked from behind the tensai.

"I can try." Ryoma stated wryly. "Come on. Get up and get dressed."

---------------------------------------

The breakfast table was oddly quiet. Ajian ate quickly and sat as still as a stone for the rest of the meal. Everyone else could feel the tension between the rookie and the Dryin.

"Syorith mu nil, Ajian. Slepim masg na."(1) Ryoma said quietly. Ajian remained silent. Ryoma sighed and shrugged.

Ajian stood up abruptly. "Let's go boys. Training won't wait forever."

The twelve stood up and followed Ajian outside and down a rather unkempt path. It led to a shabby building that had Atobe and Ryoma stiffening before walking resolutely into it. Both boys were on edge the entire time. Ajian stopped at a solid metal door and turned to them.

"Ok. First, Ryoma and I will be the ones to lead you through this process. You will be put into a deep sleep and then you will hear one of our voices. We will lead you through many hallways and doors, supposedly. Each mind is organized differently, so you will be lead through accordingly with how information is stored and organized. Only one door will be opened. It will stay open forever after that. This is the door to your powers, whatever they might be. You will have fifteen minutes to get used to whatever power you have. We will not be able to help you with that as we cannot enter any doors just lead you and tell you to open them. Now, split up into two groups, one of five and one of six." Ajian stated sullenly.

The two groups were eventually determined with group one: Fuji, Tezuka, Eiji, Oishi, Inui, and Kaidoh. Group Two was: Atobe, Jiroh, Momo, Ryoga, and Taka-san. Ajian nodded as the groups were split. "I'll take group one." She turned around and pushed open the metal door. She flipped the light switch, flooding the room with a harsh light.

The tennis players blinked rapidly to clear their eyes. Inside the room were two sections of machines. Each section had seven seating portals; one in the center and three all around in a circle. Ajian motioned for each of them to have a seat in the smaller portals. After everyone in both groups had been seated in their portals, including Ryoma in the center of Group two's portals, Ajian started to explain what would happen.

"Okay, first, everyone will be injected with some anesthetic, including Ryoma and me. Everyone in the group is connected with each other. So when you get to Level 2, everyone will be able to see each other in the group. In Level 3, everyone will be able to see everyone. Both groups will be joined and Ryoma and I will not be with you. Basically, Level 1 is in your own brain. Level 2 is a training field in the group. Level 3 is a training field with both groups. Once you complete all three levels, you have developed the mental skills to use your powers in the real world. Ryoma and I will be explaining things to you and leading you through your brain. Don't worry we can't see any memories or any thoughts. We only see the organization layout of the brain and lead you to a specific place in which only you can enter. So you can relax by knowing that the only thing Ryoma and I will glean from this experience is how your brain organizes things. Any questions?" Ajian explained.

Oishi raised his hand. "Since we're connected, will we be able to see each other's minds? And how can you lead us all at once? And how long will this take?"

"All good questions. No. You won't be able to see each other's minds. And it will take longer than usual because normally it is only done one person at a time. We can't do that so you will need to follow my and Ryoma's directions very carefully. Go ahead and look around and open some doors or something while you wait, but we will need you to hurry when we start speaking to you. Since I have six and Ryoma has five, we should finish around the same time. It still might take around two or three hours, depending on how your mind is arranged." Ajian said. She sat down in her own portal.

"Portal Simulation: Start up." A low whirring sound began to fill the room.

"Portal Simulation: Close and Inject." From the top of the seat extended a capsule-like door that closed over the tennis players, plunging them into complete darkness. Restraints clamped over the arms and legs and around the forehead of each person. Shouts and cries of surprise could be heard. Then everyone felt a sharp prick in the back of their neck. Soon, everyone was in a deep sleep.

---------------------------------------

"Boys. Wake up. Well, not literally, but open your mental eyes and see your very own brain." Ajian's voice floated through Fuji, Tezuka, Eiji, Oishi, Kaidoh, and Inui's heads. Ryoma's voice rang through Atobe, Jiroh, Momo, Ryoga, and Taka's heads.

Fuji opened his eyes and saw many doors floating in an empty space, going on forever on different levels.

Tezuka opened his eyes and saw a hallway with large picture frames covering every inch of the walls.

Eiji opened his eyes and saw clocks hanging on the walls of a long and tall hallway.

Oishi opened his eyes and saw white medical cabinets that continued down a long hallway.

Kaidoh opened his eyes and saw piles of sketchbooks in rows.

Inui opened his eyes and saw bookcases of notebooks that continued on into the distance.

Atobe opened his eyes and saw many mirrors floating in an empty space, going on forever on different levels.

Jiroh opened his eyes and saw a long hallway of closets.

Momo opened his eyes and saw hundreds of balloons floating throughout empty space.

Ryoga opened his eyes and saw many TV screens in rows that disappeared to his right and left.

Taka opened his eyes and saw a large TV screen with piles of CD cases all around.

Ajian and Ryoma opened their eyes and saw a computer room with six screens and a microphone with six buttons. All six were lit up for Ajian while only five were lit up for Ryoma. On each screen that was lit up was what each person saw along with their name in the top left corner.

"Let the games begin!" Ryoma and Ajian said at the same time.

* * *

(1) Syorith mu nil, Ajian. Slepim masg na. – I'm sorry, Ajian. For last night.

There is chapter 11 for you. check out my other updates: Twins Chapter 8 and Shards of my Broken Reflection Chapter 2. Next update will be February 14. not sure if i'll have total updates for all three stories or if i'll just post a oneshot, but there will be a posting on Feb. 14.

Read and review please!


	12. Chapter 12 The First Level: Part 1

February 14, 2009

hope you enjoy the update!

* * *

Ajian pressed all six buttons on the microphone and spoke into it. The six boys in her group heard it loud and clear. "Now boys, remember what I said that you can go through whatever you see. Only I can see what you see except for when you actually look through memories and thoughts. I will have to go through each of you one at a time. Just speak out loud when you need me. Inui, I'll start with you."

Ajian pressed all but the sixth button. "Ok, Inui. Tell me what you see."

Inui looked around even more than he originally had in the first place. "I see a long hallway of bookcases with notebooks." He replied gleefully.

Ajian sweat-dropped. "Only you would be happy about that. Now what are you good at besides taking data?"

Inui turned around as the voice, which had just been reverberating in his head, centralized behind him. A hologram of Ajian stood behind him. "Well, I'm pretty good with electronics."

"How do you mean?" Ajian asked slowly.

"Do you know what a blender is? Do you know every piece and how they all work together? Do you-" Ajian cut him off.

"Yes, I know what a blender is and not every piece but I have a general idea. If you're that good, you might be a Technopath. Meaning that you-" Inui cut her off this time.

"Meaning that I could control technology and appliances." Inui said grinning. Ajian nodded and started looking at the notebooks on the shelves. "I'm going to teach you a spell. It will help you retrieve any notebook you would need. You see, now that you've been here, when we meditate after this, you will be able to come right back to this hallway. It allows you to do things at a faster pace than trying to find the right notebook, the right page, think of how to use it in battle or a situation and then actually do it. Since you really remember everything, all you have to do is locate the notebook you wrote the info in and then read it. And you can take the time you need in here because the time inside your brain is different from he real world time."

Inui cocked his head to the side. "Okay…" he said hesitantly.

"Say these words, 'Oelthra nas nil sardfre'. It means 'I call to retrieve…' you just insert the number and that notebook will zoom right into your hands. Try it." Ajian instructed. Inui nodded.

"Oelthra nas nil sardfre 2487." Inui said clearly. Nothing happened. Ajian held up a hand.

"You'll have to wait. For quite a few reasons actually. First, your brain is not exactly in a helpful state right now. You've never seen the way you store information, you've just done it. Second, you don't know exactly how long this hallway of bookshelves is. It could be at the very end for all you know and is travelling here. Third, as you come here more often in meditation, you will end up knowing the sections of which notebooks you need and when you close your eyes and come here you will appear nearer to the section where it is located." Ajian said. Just as she finished speaking, she snatched something out of the air. A green notebook, trying to get to Inui, was clutched tightly in her hands. Ajian smirked. "By the way, I'm not a hologram." She let the notebook go and it flew straight into Inui's face.

"To send it back where it came from say, 'Sardfyil nas glaxe ke.' It means 'return to your place'. Now return that one and call number 6615544." Ajian said.

Inui nodded and spoke the necessary spells. The original green notebook flew out of his hands and a blue notebook flew from behind Inui to slap him in the back of the head before falling to the floor. Inui glared at it before picking it up. It had a drawing of a blender on it. Ajian smiled as she began to fade.

"You have fifteen minutes. Then visualize yourself back here and then wait until I say we're done." And she was gone. Inui shrugged and opened the notebook, and disappeared from the bookshelf hallway.

**_In Chaos there lies opportunity._**

Ajian opened her eyes from the synchronization of Inui's brain to find herself back in the control room. She smiled when she looked at the sixth screen to see it white. She wouldn't know what Inui saw unless he told her himself. She clicked the fifth button and was whipped into a room filled with sketchbooks. Kaidoh sat in the middle of a pile of scattered sketchbooks.

"Kaidoh-kun, what are you looking at?" Ajian asked.

"You can't see it?" Kaidoh asked. He was surprised to find that he wasn't surprised that she was standing over him. Ajian shook her head. "I can't see anything other than the ideal object that helps you store things. You draw pictures and only you can see them." Ajian said. Kaidoh nodded in understanding.

"I'm going to teach you the same spells I taught Inui. Say 'Oelthra nas nil sardfre…' to find a sketchbook and say 'Sardfyil nas glaxe ke' to return it. Have you figured out how you know which sketchbook is which?" Kaidoh took a moment to memorize the spell before he answered Ajian's question.

"Yes. Apparently, I store things by how they relate to each other. They all have a small drawing on the front cover." Kaidoh said.

"Good. Say the retrieval spell and retrieve the one with a stone on it." Ajian said.

"Oelthra nas nil sardfre stone." A small brown sketchbook floated over gently to land in Kaidoh's hands. Ajian smiled.

"Be back in fifteen minutes. Then visualize yourself back here and then wait until I say we're done." Ajian disappeared. As did Kaidoh when he opened the sketchbook.

**_In Chaos there lies opportunity._**

Ajian pressed the fourth button and synchronized with Oishi's brain. She stared when she saw the poor boy sitting on the floor in hysterics. "Oi, what happened to you?" she asked warily.

"AJIAN! Is everyone alright? What's going on? Where a-" Oishi had grabbed hold of Ajian and started to shake her. She cut him off by slapping him.

"Oishi, calm down! Everyone is fine so far. Have you figured out anything while you were here?" Oishi shook his head and slumped against one of the cabinets.

Ajian sighed. "Well, I suppose that since you store everything in medical cabinets, we're looking at a medical power, like regeneration and healing. How to get this one to come out…"

Oishi watched as Ajian thought. He began looking through the cabinets and found labels with pictures instead of words on them. He saw a picture of a kitten and instantly remembered when Ryoma lost his Himalayan at the school. Ajian had apparently been watching him, because she called out to him.

"Hey Oishi, what do you see? Pictures?" Oishi nodded. "Alright, say 'thanlin efrit nas…' it means 'guide me to …'. Say it and guide yourself to the Bandaged Lightning" Ajian said. Oishi nodded and repeated the phrase. The cabinets instantly began to move at a fast pace around them before stopping completely. Ajian pointed to the cabinet behind Oishi.

"There it is. Just open it. You've got fifteen minutes. Then visualize yourself back here and then wait until I say we're done." Ajian said before disappearing. Oishi did as well as soon as he opened the cabinet door.

**_In Chaos there lies opportunity._**

Ajian pressed the third button to synchronize with Eiji. She found him floating in the air along the hallway of clocks. Ajian smiled as she jumped in the air to float next to him. She flicked Eiji's forehead to get his attention.

"Mou, Ajian, don't do that! When did you get in here?" Eiji exclaimed. Ajian chuckled.

"Just now, Eiji. Have you figured out how your brain works?" Ajian asked. Eiji nodded.

"Yep. Every clock is a different memory or thought. They are organized by use and favouritism. If I like it and it's used often, like tennis, it's a bigger clock. To view the memory, I just have to place my hand on the clock and the face becomes a TV screen." Eiji replied.

"Ok. Then I'll teach you a spell that will make a specific clock glow. Say 'Manthin lecis aveela...' It means 'clock which holds…' and then you say which memory or idea and it will glow. Then you can float to whichever clock it is." Ajian said. Eiji nodded and said the words a couple times to memorize them.

"Alright, now that you know the spell, make the spell ask for the clock that holds the memory or idea of telekinesis." Ajian commanded. Eiji's eyes went wide.

"Is that the power I have? Huh, huh?" Eiji exclaimed, looking at Ajian with an extremely excited face.

"I don't know for sure, but that's what I think." Ajian said as she sweat-dropped. "Now say the spell."

"Hai! Manthin lecis aveela telekinesis." Eiji said clearly. A green glow started up from their right. Both Ajian and Eiji floated toward the glow. It was coming from a small clock that seemed to be getting bigger as time went on.

"Well, this is it; it will be getting even bigger. I bet you haven't seen your clock for tennis yet. You've got fifteen minutes. Then visualize yourself back here and then wait until I say we're done." Ajian said. She disappeared and a moment later, so did Eiji.

**_In Chaos there lies opportunity._**

Ajian sighed as she rubbed her eyes and then pressed the second button. _Here we go again_, she thought. "There are a lot of picture frames here." Ajian said out loud. Tezuka came up behind her.

"Perhaps. But I like it like that." He said. Ajian turned around, not at all surprised.

"Each frame is a memory or idea. The black frames are memories, the brown ones are ideas or thoughts, and the red ones are habits, likes, and dislikes." Tezuka said.

Ajian nodded and spoke, "Say the spell 'Manthin lecis sfrane…' It means 'frame which holds…' and then you say which memory or idea and it will glow." Tezuka sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Alright, I'm not going to enjoy this, am I?" Tezuka asked Ajian. She sighed. "You will. You just have to get there first. Ask for the memory about Lyte. Spelled L-Y-T-E. It's the same thing though."

"Manthin lecis aveela Lyte." Tezuka said with a resigned voice and eyes closed. A medium sized black frame began to glow white right above them. Tezuka flicked his hand and the picture frames moved around until the glowing one was at arms level next to them. Ajian raised an eyebrow.

"You've got fifteen minutes. Then visualize yourself back here and then wait until I say we're done." Ajian said and then disappeared. Tezuka sighed and glared at the poor picture frame. He touched it gently and vanished.

**_In Chaos there lies opportunity._**

Ajian wished she could have headache pills right now. She only had one mind left and already she was tired. She was losing her touch. Inui, Kaidoh, and Oishi were back now and she could see the bookshelves, sketchbook piles, and cabinets again. Eiji was still gone and now so was Tezuka. Only Fuji was left. Ajian growled to herself as she pressed the last button on the microphone and saw the doors all around her. She jumped away from the spot she appeared in as soon as she landed though, because a huge anchor landed in the same spot.

Ajian sweat-dropped as Fuji landed delicately behind her. "You really need to work on your defense strategies. Trapping your enemies under a ship anchor isn't going to stop them long enough for you to break their spell."

"Perhaps, but it would be entertaining." Fuji said with a gleeful smile.

"Your right. I really like how your mind is set up. Mine is almost the same. I love doors. You have no idea what's on the other side waiting to-" Fuji cut her off.

"To strip you and tie you up?" He asked innocently. Ajian rolled her eyes. "Yeah, because I so strip and tie myself up in my mind. So you know what you're looking for?" She asked

"I suppose. It's something cold. That's about all I've figured out as of right now." Fuji said. Ajian smiled.

"Then I believe you're looking at Ice. Say '…Vinnine napthale'. It means '…secret's door'. Just put what you're looking for before those two words and the door should appear somewhere." Ajian said, shrugging.

"Ice vinnine napthale." Fuji said and then turned around to nearly walk into the door itself. He opened his eyes to glare at the innocent door. Ajian giggled as she began to fade.

"You've got fifteen minutes. Then visualize yourself back here and then wait until I say we're done." Fuji nodded and opened the door. It shut behind him as he vanished into the light on the other side of the door.

**_In Chaos there lies opportunity._**

Ryoma decided to go with hitting some random button. He glowered at the poor button as his subconscious body transferred to his brother's mind. The TVs should have burst into pieces at the weight of his glare, just like he wanted his brother to do.

"Ne, Ryoga…" Ryoma growled as his brother was staring at a supposedly white screen.

"Ah, Chibisuke! Nice to see you here." Ryoga said lightly as he stood up from in front of one of the TVs. "So what do I have to do?"

Ryoma frowned as he thought quickly of a spell that would work to his brother's advantage. "Try saying the words '…Sil Lithre netr'. It means '…TV turn on' simple enough for your small brain, ne?" Ryoma said with a smirk.

Ryoga merely grinned at his little brother. "Mou, Chibisuke, don't be so mean to your brother. And what am I supposed to put in front of the 'Sil Lithre netr'?"

"Don't play nice with me, you're annoying. And try, 'Sound' or 'Ekolokatyon'. It's the same as echolocation but spelled E-K-O-L-O-K-A-T-Y-O-N." Ryoma said.

"Ok, Ok. Ekolokatyon Sil Lithre netr." Ryoga said. He jumped in surprise as the TV next to him suddenly turned on. He studied it strangely.

"Be back in fifteen minutes. Visualize yourself back here and then wait until I say we're done." Ryoma said with a sigh as he left. Ryoga touched the TV screen and disappeared.

**_In Chaos there lies opportunity._**

Ryoma pushed the fifth button and found himself staring at another TV, though this time it was only one. He raised an eyebrow. _Strange way to categorize the brain, but oh well._ Ryoma thought with a shrug. He tapped Taka-san on the shoulder. The powerhouse turned to stare at Ryoma before realizing he was even there.

"Lost in memories?" Ryoma asked softly. Taka shook his head.

"Ah, no. Just thinking and watching it play out in front of me. So what am I supposed to be looking for?" Taka asked.

Ryoma shrugged before pausing to think. "Everyone's brain somehow categorizes things in a way that subtly shows their power. Ryoga's was a lot of TVs, but he could shut them off, you can't so I think your power is power, meaning Lytening. It's spelled differently of course. L-Y-T-E-N-I-N-G instead of L-I-G-H-T-N-I-N-G. And since you have DVDs as your storage system, say the spell 'Oelthra nas nil sardfre'. It means 'I call to retrieve…' and then just add the memory or idea to the end and the disc should come right to you."

"Oelthra nas nil sardfre Lytening." Taka said slowly. He wasn't so sure that he liked the magic that much. A disc flew towards him and he flinched before snatching it out of the air.

"Be back in fifteen minutes, just visualize yourself back here and then wait until I say we're done." Ryoma said and vanished. Taka nodded and then slid the disc into the TV's DVD player and disappeared.

**_In Chaos there lies opportunity._**

Ryoma sighed and pressed the second button to trip over a body and hit the door to a closet. Ryoma looked down and saw Jiroh asleep on the floor.

"Oi! Don't sleep in the middle of a hallway! Wake Up!" Ryoma pulled a bucket of water out of nowhere and dumped it on the poor boy. Jiroh woke spluttering and spewing water.

"Nani? What was that for?" Jiroh complained. He smiled up at the enraged younger boy.

"I'm going to teach you a spell and the closet which holds that memory or idea is going to open whenever you say the spell. Now say 'Dastre wood segrat'. It means 'open wood closet' something easy to remember." Ryoma said kneading his forehead.

"Dastre wood segrat."(8) Jiroh said sleepily. He walked towards the closet that had flung open its doors.

"Oi, be back in fifteen minutes. Just visualize yourself back here and wait until I say we're done!" Ryoma called after the other boy. He shook his head as he began to vanish. Jiroh merely walked into the closet and vanished himself.

**_In Chaos there lies opportunity._**

Ryoma contemplated which of the last two buttons he wanted to hit first. Either Momo-sempai or Monkey King. Neither seemed like the easiest route, but Ryoma decided to save the Monkey King for last. He pressed the second button and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was so tempted to pop a random balloon. He was just afraid that by doing so, Momo-sempai would lose even more brain cells, and Ryoma knew the other boy needed all that he had left.

"Ne, Momo-sempai, why are you tangled in balloon strings?" Ryoma raised an eyebrow at his sempai who was indeed entangled in the strings of the many coloured balloons floating around.

"Oi! Echizen! Help me out here!" Momo yelled. "I think they like you, Momo-sempai." Ryoma grinned as he knelt down beside the entangled boy.

"Echizen!" Momo cried. Ryoma laughed as he waved a hand and the balloons left. "Echizen, how'd you do that?" Momo panted as he tried hiding behind Ryoma to stay away from the balloons.

"For me, it's a spell. For you, it's a natural process. All you have to do is decide that you don't want them to crowd around you and then _force_ them to leave you alone. And I'll also teach you a spell to bring specific balloons with specific ideas, thoughts, or memories right to you, with out all of them hounding on you. Though I must admit that it is extremely amusing." Ryoma grinned as he poked at a random balloon.

"Ooookkaaayyy." Momo whined doubtfully. Ryoma rolled his eyes.

"Alright, try saying 'mertin lacsobe nel…' meaning 'thought balloon of …' then just add what you want in there and it should float right to you." Ryoma said as he patted a green balloon that seemed to act like a cat and rub against him. Momo grimaced before trying out the words.

"Mertin Lacsobe nel…what am I supposed to say after that?" Momo asked. Ryoma blinked.

"Hmm. Try Fyre. Spelled F-Y-R-E instead. You seem like a burning type." Ryoma said wryly.

"Really?"

"Yadda." Ryoma said turning away. Momo sighed.

"Mertin Lacsobe nel Fyre." A red balloon cheerfully bobbed over to Momo and lovingly began to strangle the boy. Ryoma snickered before starting to leave.

"Just pop the balloon, it'll reappear. Be back in fifteen minutes. Just visualize yourself back here and then wait until I say we're done." Momo nodded at nothing before popping the balloon with a sigh of happiness, now that it had stopped trying to strangle him.

**_In Chaos there lies opportunity._**

Ryoma took a moment to prepare himself for the last mind he had to intrude upon. Monkey King. He was _so_ not looking forward to this. Ryoma closed his eyes before pressing the button. He opened his eyes to see Atobe surrounded by mirrors.

"Oi, Monkey King. Still feeding your narcissistic habits by preening like a parrot?" Ryoma asked the rival tennis player, who indeed was preening in front of one of the many mirrors was floating around.

"Brat. One as beautiful as Ore-sama must be marveled at. But that aside; Ajian already told Ore-sama what Ore-sama's power was." Atobe drawled. Ryoma rolled his eyes.

"Yes, because knowing what power you control so helps actually controlling it. You have Telepathy, right?" Ryoma asked. Atobe nodded regally.

"So say the words, 'flyctiuna nel telepathy'(10). You know what it means?" Ryoma glared at the other boy as if daring him to deny his knowledge of Forlenite. Atobe huffed and frowned.

"Of course Ore-sama knows how to speak Forlenite. How could the great Ore-sama not understand the language of Ore-sama's father?" Atobe stated haughtily.

"Yeah, yeah. Enough with the 'Ore-sama' shit. You're a monkey. End of story. Now say 'flyctiuna nel telepathy'. Then step into the mirror to view the memory. Be back in fifteen minutes. Just visualize yourself back here and then wait until I say we're done. You're giving me a headache." Ryoma growled as he faded. Atobe glared at empty space before reciting the words and disappearing himself through a mirror.

* * *

1. Oelthra nas nil sardfre... - I call to retrieve...

2. Sardfyil nas glaxe ke - return to your place

3. thanlin efrit nem... - guide me to...

4. Manthin lecis aveela... - clock which holds...

5. Manthin lecis sfrane... - frame which holds...

6. …Vinnine napthale - …secret's door

7. …Sil Lithre netr - …TV turn on

8. Dastre wood segrat - open wood closet

9. mertin lacsobe nel... - thought balloon of...

10. flyctiuna nel telepathy – reflection of telepathy

so there is the first part of Level 1. was too long so i decided to make it into 2 chapters. no Twins update. but Shards of My Broken Reflection is updated. next chapter update, March 14, White Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Read and Review.


	13. Chapter 13 The First Level: Part 2

Hello! Enjoy!

May 29, 2009

* * *

Inui opened his eyes to an open space that was black. Instinct told him to wave his hand and push energy out through it. Inui did so and the empty space light up. There were lines of appliances. Dryers, washers, dishwashers, ovens, microwaves, refrigerators, TVs, etc. Inui was slightly confused as to what exactly was going on. Inui followed his instincts and waved a hand, entertaining himself with the moving appliances and the power to do so rushing through his body. He was highly entertained by the fact that he had power over anything electric. He grinned as he decided it had been fifteen minutes and closed his eyes, imagining himself back in his library of notebooks.

* * *

Kaidoh opened his eyes to see himself in the middle of a forest. His immediate reaction was fear as to why to he was in alone in a forest. His second reaction was comfort as animals started to appear. He reached his arm out for the birds to land on and was slightly surprised to see that his arm turned into a branch. He thought that he wanted it back to its human form and his arm returned. Kaidoh smiled slightly as the animals gathered around him. He felt a raw power that seemed thousands to millions of years old. It pounded through his body and Kaidoh pushed it out into the world around him. Vines and trees sprouted from the ground and twined themselves around him. They pulled gently at his clothes as the animals joined in the strange dance. He was happy and didn't want to leave but was afraid that it had already been long enough. He had a slight feeling that he could come back here when ever he wanted again later. Kaidoh envisioned himself back in the room filled with sketchbooks with a satisfied smile.

* * *

Oishi opened his eyes to see a quiet battlefield. Heaps of bodies were piled all around the place. Millions of people were dead or dying. Oishi raced to the nearest body and examined him quickly and efficiently. He couldn't distinguish any of the faces nearby. He realized that all of the bodies nearest him were just missing a limb here and there. Oishi instantly felt the instinct and power rush through him. He held his hands over the place where the missing limb should have been and pushed the power out of his body. Light gathered in a shield of sorts around the area of a missing leg. Oishi watched in fascination as the leg began to appear from thin air. As soon as the leg was finished, the body disappeared. In fact, when Oishi looked up in confusion, he saw that the body count had diminished to almost only a few other bodies. He sighed in contentment as he realized that he only had to heal two other bodies before the entire field was completely empty. Oishi set to work and within no time, the field was empty and Oishi was happy that the men were healed and gone. He closed his eyes and envisioned himself back in the row of medical cabinets.

* * *

Eiji opened his eyes to see a room full of toys and objects. He tried to move and noticed that he was tied to a chair in the middle of the room. As he began to panic, objects in the room began to move around. Eiji stopped panicking as soon as a rather large pair of scissors stopped right in front of his nose. He sighed as the scissors just hung in front of him. Eiji decided to try something. He thought about the scissors moving behind him and cutting the ropes that bound him to the chair. He made sure to think about the scissors NOT cutting him by accident. He watched as the scissors went out of sight behind him. He squeezed his eyes shut as he heard a snip and the scissors reappeared in front of him and Eiji felt the ropes fall away. Eiji wanted the scissors to fall to the ground and they did. Eiji began playing with the various objects in the room without ever moving from his seat. After he decided he had had enough, Eiji envisioned himself back in the floating room of clocks.

* * *

Taka-san opened his eyes to see himself in a open field. There was a huge storm brewing over the open plain. Taka-san had never really like lightning and this storm looked like it was going to be full of lightning. Taka wasn't afraid, but lightning unnerved him. The fact that he could be fried alive because he was struck by lightning was something that kept him from enjoying lightning to the fullest. Taka had always thought that lightning was pretty but he didn't think that it was safe. Even though it had been proven in his world that lightning captured could be used to power things, Taka himself did not want to actually be the one to channel the lightning. The lightning seemed not to care as it struck all around Taka. Finally, one bolt struck him right on the head. Taka jumped, or would have if his feet were not glued to the ground by the channeled lightning. Taka was surprised as he could move with the lightning. It felt hot but not unbearably. He cupped his palm and there pooled the lighting as if it were liquid. He could see the sparks flying off the pool in his hand and felt a strange satisfaction at the fact that lightning would no longer harm him like he originally feared. Taka felt a grin crawl onto his features as he deemed himself ready to go back to the room with the single TV.

* * *

Jirou opened his eyes to see a burned forest that was eerily silent. Jirou seriously wanted to sleep but he would rather sleep under green trees instead of burnt branches. He started to walk around looking for green trees when he tripped over a root, throwing his arms out to catch himself. As soon as his hands hit the ground, green sprouted from his fingertips and continued out away from him. Trees sprouted green leaves and grass and green lichen covered the ground around him. Jirou stood up slowly in wonder as the dead forest around him became alive. Jirou stared as a grin crept onto his face. He began to walk forward, watching in amazement as trees began to sprout around him skipping years of growth as they grew hundreds of feet into the air. Jirou put his hand on one of the trees and a branch grew out underneath his hand. Jirou climbed onto the branch and watched in fascination as the branch moved up higher into the tree. Jirou dropped off onto a thicker branch and laid down, falling instantly asleep. Just as he drifted off he pictured the hallway full of closets.

* * *

Ryoga opened his eyes to see himself in an endless ocean. There was nothing around him. No bottom to the ocean and Ryoga could tell he was too far away from the top to actually see anything, but the light was obviously there slightly. Ryoga opened his mouth to call out and he heard himself squeak. Ryoga's hearing traced the echo and somehow deduced that there was nothing around for miles. He felt as if he had fins as he pushed himself forward through the water at an extremely fast pace. After a while, he stopped and 'squeaked' again. This time, Ryoga caught a feedback echo. There was something big a couple of miles out. Ryoga sent out another sound wave and heard the echoes saying that the object was moving and it was coming closer. Ryoga swam towards the object warily. He was startled when a dolphin came into view and playfully swam around him. Ryoga grinned as he began to play with the dolphin, understanding what his power was by the significance of the dolphin itself.

* * *

Momo opened his eyes to see himself surrounded by fire. He always liked fire. It was warm to hot and Momo thought it was pretty as it danced around. He always felt bad for the people nearby when he heard about brush fires even though they were rare in Japan. Even though Momo felt bad, he loved the way the fire took control and burned everything in its path. The way fire tried to control and burn everything around it, always eating fuel without a care in the world. Momo enjoyed the way the fire burned around him, throwing off warmth as though there was too much. He threw his arms up as if on a whim and the fire around him burned higher. The flames now danced around him as high as a two storey building. Momo laughed in delight as the fire did not burn him at all. It just licked at his skin, doing nothing and feeling extremely warm. Momo closed his eyes after awhile and picture the room of balloons as the burning warmth stayed with him.

* * *

Atobe opened his eyes to see nothing. He could not hear anything or smell or feel anything. He was sure, quite quickly, that if there was anything to taste that he would taste nothing of whatever object it was. A fear gripped Atobe as he realized that he would not be able to sense anything with his five senses. He quelled that fear quickly as he thought he noticed something in the distance. There wasn't a light, per say, but it seemed as if it were more of a mind that he could sense as a light. Atobe wondered exactly what he could do to this mind. He tried to read the thoughts and found that they were just like his own. Perhaps this brain that he could sense was his own. He tried to push his thoughts into the mind. He found that the mind responded exactly like he would have. Atobe had fun playing with the mind and decided to try one last thing before he left. He sent his persuasion through his mind link and told the mind to shut down, killing the 'body'. Atobe watched with a smirk as the brain's light diminished and disappeared before Atobe closed his eyes and envisioned his beautiful self in the room of mirrors again.

* * *

Tezuka opened his eyes to see darkness. He wasn't afraid of the dark. He never needed a nightlight, but sometimes the darkness unnerved him. This was one of those times. Tezuka shifted slightly and decided to rid himself of the uneasiness. He pushed out the uncertainty and watched amazed as the feelings left him and light enveloped the space in front of him. Tezuka watched as the light grew bigger until it enveloped him and spread out further. There wasn't a corner in the area that wasn't lit up. Tezuka was surprised when a ball of light swirled around him. For some reason he was reminded of Ryoma and unconsciously named the light ball Ryo. Tezuka pushed Ryo away and watched as it returned almost happily. It seemed the little ball liked to be thrown. As Tezuka focused more on Ryo, the area had begun to darken a little. Tezuka threw Ryo at the large dark area and watched, fascinated as the ball smashed into the dark spot and spread brightening the entire area again. Tezuka closed his eyes as he pictured the room of picture frames, considerably relieved from his earlier headache.

* * *

Fuji opened his eyes to see himself on a huge mountain top of ice. Fuji looked around in wonderment. He had never seen a glacier in person and it was amazing to be on top of one. Fuji could see miles of blue water at the bottom of miles of white ice. Fuji realized that he didn't feel cold at all. In fact, he felt quite comfortable in the cold climate. Fuji raised his arms in contentment and was surprised when ice shot up in pillars behind him. In his shock, Fuji's arms were brought close to his chest. As soon as his hands went down, so did the pillars of ice. Fuji carefully looked behind him into the two deep holes created by his ice pillars going down. He heard a dull but loud crack as the face of the glacier broke from the main body, dislodging a very surprised Fuji. As he began to slide down the fast moving ice, Fuji curled up in a ball staring in amazement as ice began to form a hollow bubble around him. His bubble plunged into the water below as other ice fragments dropped next to him. His bubble went deep enough and the water was clear enough to see his pillars had dropped all the way through the glacier face and even below the rest of the body behind it. Fuji sat at the bottom of his bubble as it started to float back up to the surface. Fuji forced his bubble to go up at a faster speed and shot out of the water, throwing Fuji back onto the glacier body, shattering around him at impact. Fuji's grin got wider as he sat on top of the glacier. He closed his eyes and imagined himself back in the room of doors.

* * *

Well, There you go. Check out my new oneshot that, depending on your reviews, could change into a multi-chapter. IT's called CSI:Japan. Also is the fnal chapter for Shards of My Broken Reflection. Review and let me know if you guys want the epilogue of the beach trip.

REad and Review!

Lovishnesses, Lonely Rain.


	14. Chapter 14 The Second Level

Merry Christmas!

December 25, 2009

* * *

Everyone groaned as they woke up from whatever dream state they were in. All the boys minus Ryoma and Atobe were sore as they woke up. They weren't used to the sitting in a strange chair and being drugged for hours. Ryoma and Atobe were sore but were more used to meditation and their bodies were not as surprised at the others. Ajian stood up and stretched like the cat that she was before leading them out of the shabby building. Ignoring the groans and moans of the males behind her, Ajian walked back to the house in complete silence. She didn't seem to be paying attention to anything while walking and she walked right past a group of Dryins without acknowledging them. Ryoma, who was explaining what they had just gone through, paled and abruptly stopped speaking as the group of Dryins stared in shock after the girl.

"Ryoma? What's wrong?" Fuji asked quietly. He noticed that Atobe and Jirou had gone silent as well, staring after Ajian with pale faces.

"It's never good when Ajian doesn't pay attention. I wouldn't be surprised if she is completely useless for the rest of the day. She gets into one of these moods every now and then but it generally only lasts a few hours. If we had an attack right now, we probably wouldn't survive. Ajian is the key to the war, not us. Only she doesn't believe that and that is why we have to pretend that it is really the twelve stars that will end the battle. You see, Ajian is the next ruler and I think that she's scared and doesn't want the Royalty. It's not common to have the Royal blood. They were wiped out long before Farlor showed up. There were rumors that some of the Royalty survived, but they went into hiding and never came out to claim the throne back. The people got used to it and now that we are at war with an Emperor, if word gets out that the person in highest command is a descendant of the Royalty, then there could be another war unless she swears that neither she nor any of her descendants will try to claim the throne in the future. She doesn't want to limit her descendants if it's not for the best." Ryoma explained softly. The boys continued down the path to the house as they asked questions.

"So if Ajian is sworn to not let her descendants claim the throne in the future, then the country could get worse?" Eiji asked. It was Atobe who answered.

"Yes, without some kind of leader, there is only chaos. Farlor tried to unite all of Arienai. Before that, there was the Royal family, though they were really nothing more than a rich figure head. The Royal family went into hiding and the world got worse. It settled down eventually with each village, town, or city creating their own rules. Then Farlor came in and brought them back into unity from a civil war. But many years had passed between Farlor's rule and the Royal family's rule. Too many new generations didn't like the idea of going under one ruler, especially one who had no regard for the rules of the gods. Even the older generations that remembered the Royal family was better than the new ruler and the time in between. While, yes, there could have been some rules and changes that should have been made by the Royal family, they were still better than anything else. The way America works is a good example of what can never be here even though it might seem like it would work here. There are too many treaties between the races that a democracy would violate too many ideas and the races are happy with the treaties they have now."

The group entered the house in a somber silence as the new information digested. Lonnie was putting dinner on the table as the regulars sat down, decidedly ignoring that Ajian's chair was empty. They ate quickly and headed to bed as soon as they could, as all of the boys were falling asleep on their feet.

* * *

The next day, Ajian woke the boys with a gentle alarm.

"OI! GET YOUR ASSES OUT OF BED! WE'VE GOT LEVEL 2 TO GET THROUGH TODAY!" Ajian yelled at each door. The boys rolled out of the bed and got dressed in more medieval-styled clothes that were set out for them. Ajian watched as the boys stumbled down the stairs and to the table. She rolled her eyes as Ryoma seemed to fall asleep in his food, Fuji and Tezuka trying to wake him enough to eat. Ajian chuckled as Tezuka shook his head and turned to his own food and Fuji threw up his hands in defeat. Ryoma snuggled against Fuji's side.

Ajian smiled bitterly as she watched the boys walk down the path to the training building. She acknowledged the other Dryins and Elves she passed as they acknowledged her. But she didn't want the Royalty and the power that came with the title of being Royalty. She refused to force her children to make the vow she knew the people would want her to make. She didn't mind promising through a blood oath to never take the throne. But she would not make that choice for her children. If they wanted to try and take the throne, then let them make their choices. Perhaps, when her children were old enough to make the choice of chasing the throne, Arienai might actually need the Royalty again. But she knew that the people would want her to promise that her children would not try for the throne and that was something she refused to do.

"Ajian?" She looked up as Fuji stood in front of her looking concerned. "Are you alright?" He asked. Ajian nodded.

"Yes, I was just thinking of some depressing matters. Come; let us get this over with." Ajian walked through the group to get to the door. After everyone was in their pods, she spoke up again.

"Level 2 is where you will fight in groups. Ryoma needs to practice, so it will be three on three in each set of pods. Fuji, Tezuka, and Eiji are against Inui, Oishi, and Kaidoh in the first set. In the second set: Atobe, Jirou, and Ryoga are against Ryoma, Taka, and Momo." Ajian explained.

"How exactly are we going to fight? With our powers?" Fuji asked. Ajian nodded. "The first hour will be meditation. Then you will be put through a series of exercises which will allow you to work with your power. Then you will be pitted against each other. While Ryoma may be fighting, he will be able to call a time out for healing and rest in that circle of pods. He will be able to stop any wild bursts of magic as well so you don't need to worry about injury or accidents." They all sat down in the pods. Ajian made sure that they were settled before saying the key words.

"Portal Simulation: Start up." The low whirring sound began to fill the room.

"Portal Simulation: Close and Inject." Everyone felt the prick of the needle before falling into yet another world.

* * *

The boys opened their eyes to see themselves in a field nestled in between a forest and a lake. Ajian was standing in front of the lake with her arms held out. The guys could _see_ the wynd swirling around her. It danced around her, pulling gently at her hair and lifting her plain white dress. The regulars noticed they were all barefoot and in white pants and shirts. The wynd picked Ajian up and carried her over to the middle of the lake. The wynd seemed to disperse out from under the Dryin, letting her laughter echo as she plummeted down to the watre.

The boys were surprised when Ryoma stepped out in front of them and waved his arms in a swift motion with a soft look in his eyes. Ajian smiled in surprise as the watre Ryoma controlled swirled around her to slither around her arms and legs and lead her to the jets of watre that acted as steps to the shore. Once she touched the ground the watre steps fell back into the lake but the tendrils around her arms and legs did not. Ajian looked up into the smirking visage of a mischievous Ryoma.

"So, we are fighting already?" Ajian asked with a slight grin. The watre evaporated letting Ajian settle softly on the grass of the field. Ryoma bowed to her with a grin on his face. "Oh, I see. Trying to playfully mock me are you?" Ajian asked with a devious smirk as she waved her arms in a complicated motion and made the aire around Ryoma move spectacularly fast, swinging the rookie upside down and a good fifty feet into the aire to leave him dangling by one leg.

"No fair!" Ryoma cried as he commanded the watre to jump from the lake and form a sheet underneath him so he could lay flat in the air on his back while his leg was still under the control of Ajian's wynd. Ajian smirked as she froze the watre and the dissolved it into snow right out from under Ryoma. Back to dangling in midair, Ryoma threw up (down) his hands and conceded.

"I give; this isn't about how we fight. It's teaching them. Just drop me gently." Ryoma said with a grin. Ajian rolled her eyes. She waved her hand in a shooing gesture and Ryoma floated to the ground. They turned to each other and bowed, then turned to the others.

"Now that was a bad display of power and control but sparring is necessary in some cases, which is why we come here to do so. This way we don't ruin anything and can practice without taking elements from other creatures. Now, sit in a circle with each set next to each other." Ajian said as she watched the guys sit in the circle around her. She sat in the middle of the circle facing Ryoma. Next to him on the right was, Taka, then Momo, Ryoga, Atobe, Jirou, Tezuka, Fuji, Eiji, Inui, Oishi, and last Kaidoh on Ryoma's left completed the circle. Ajian nodded in approval before closing her eyes and relaxing her hands in her lap. She sat there and opened her mind to her surroundings and the guys.

"_I am speaking to you all in your minds in this simulation. If you opened your eyes, my mouth would not be moving. This is possible out in real world but it would take years to master and too much energy to do so with more than one person at one time with a back and forth connection. Here is how you meditate your powers. When you close your eyes, picture your mind and the object or place that has your magic. Whatever your power is located in will be right in front of you. Go on through it or do whatever it is to release your powers. Let your power fill you up and surround you. Don't try to control it but let it control your mind and not your body. Let it teach you how it works and how it doesn't. Let it teach you how to control it and how to let it work in its own boundaries. Control is not forcing something to bend to your will when you want it to bend but more of an agreement between you and your power. An agreement that you will direct its power at your will but not try to control the power itself. You will understand your power better through your power more than if I taught you about it. Once you know and understand this, open your eyes and see your power surround you." _Ajian said mentally. She watched as first Ryoma was instantly enveloped by a dark blue flowing light. Soon, watre droplets started swirl around his as a soft smile flitted across his face. Ajian smiled at him knowingly when he opened his eyes to stare straight into hers.

Atobe was next, as he had been trained a little before now; a soft purple glow surrounded him as he meditated, the giddy grin worming its way onto his face. After Atobe, it was like a chain reaction. Jirou came next with a soft brown glow and the glow seemed to take on a wood-like pattern. Then Fuji was next with an ice blue glow and the air around him seemed to drop in temperature, followed almost immediately by Tezuka with a white glow. Inui was up with a metallic-like glow, then Taka with a white-hot yellow glow that seemed to flicker at first and then little shocks of lytening licked at his skin without harming him, then Oishi with a red glow. Kaidoh had a dark green glow with swirling leaves and Momo had an orange glow that seemed to dance like fyre across his skin. Ryoga had a silver glow that pulsed around him while Eiji had a golden glow. After everyone had opened their eyes with the giddy looks on their faces, Ajian put her hand out in the air.

"_Don't speak. Just hold out your hand and connect with your power. What your powers are will appear in a small version above your hand. As you can see, mine is aire. You can see the swirls as it spins in a small, tight ball of speeding aire. Ryoma's is watre, as is portrayed by the small ball of watre floating above his hand. But sometimes, the object is not the actual power, but more what embodies the power. Ryoga's is ekolokatyon, and as you can see, it is a dolphin, which use ekolokatyon to survive. Now that you have made your agreement with your power, you should be able to use it pretty well. Your power has a voice that you must listen to. I will not be your teacher in these next two levels. Your power will. Let it teach you quickly and efficiently. Do not try to make moves with it like you do in tennis. That will limit it and make it unchangeable; all powers have rules that they must follow so as not to hinder the rules of the other powers. For example, Watre is always moving, it cannot stop and stand still and you cannot ask it to hit someone over the head to knock them out. Watre will move against and around and object as it is too small chemically to have enough power to hurt someone. For Ryoma to knock someone out with Watre, he must swirl the watre around them with enough pressure to lift them and throw them into something like a cliff that would knock someone out. Fuji, however, is ice, so he can freeze Ryoma's watre and together they can knock someone out. Yet, Fuji needs the watre in the first place. Ryoma can draw the watre from the ground or from people's bodies. Fuji has to have the watre on the surface to work or the ice has to already be there. This is what Level 2 is about. You have been separated into four sets. Each set will fight against each other. Level 3 will be an all out tournament." _Ajian said as she stood up. The others followed her lead silently.

"_To keep the meditative state, I will continue speaking like this, but you will have to speak out loud. First is Set 1 against Set 2. Stand in the field and I will pull a protective barrier around Sets 3 and 4 while you fight. Begin!" _Ajian said as the silvery-clear barrier went up around the other 2 sets of competitors.

* * *

Fuji, Tezuka, Eiji vs. Oishi, Inui, Kaidoh

Fuji started off by calling some watre from the lake, hardening it in midair. He broke it off into very sharp pieces which he left floating threateningly around him. Tezuka merely stood next to him, playing with his little ball of lyte named Ryo. Eiji did nothing but start bouncing around. Oishi stood there worrying about everyone as he normally did. Inui glared at Ajian as he pulled out his cell phone and transformed it into a gun of some sorts. Kaidoh looked to the forest and back at his opponents.

"Well, if no one else wants to make the first move…" Fuji said, just before he threw a couple of icicles at Kaidoh. Kaidoh ducked at first but then the icicles turned around as if they had a homing device. Kaidoh punched the ground while glaring at Fuji. With a loud slam, a wall of Eyrth shot up behind Kaidoh and the icicles crashed into it. Inui used his transformed gun to shoot at Tezuka, but it stopped just before his face, and then flew over in front of Eiji who seemed to examine it with a good personating of 'Inui'. He shrugged and shot it into Oishi with a sly grin. Oishi stood shocked that Eiji would throw something at him but then the bullet seemed to work its way out of Oishi's body and his wound closed up perfectly.

"Mou…" Eiji pouted. Fuji chuckled slightly. Tezuka nodded at Fuji and Eiji, who nodded back, agreeing to some unspoken plan. Fuji hardened a larger section of Watre from the lake and threw it at Kaidoh. Both the new wall of Eyrth and block of Ice shattered upon impact. Fuji melted the Ice with a smirk. Eiji levitated them in front of the other three guys. Oishi, Kaidoh and Inui looked on warily. Suddenly, Tezuka threw his ball of lyte at the other set, which burst at their feet. Once everyone's eyes cleared from the burst, they saw that Set 2 was flat on the ground unconscious.

"_Good job, boys. Next is Set 3 and 4. Begin!"_ Ajian said as Set 1 revived Set 2 and brought them over to the barrier. Tezuka and Fuji were pleasantly surprised to each receive a kiss of congratulations from Ryoma as he passed them on his way to the field. They sat down to watch Ryoma wipe the floor with the other team.

* * *

Atobe, Jirou, Ryoga vs. Ryoma, Taka, Momo

Ryoma instantly called Watre to him and wrapped it around his body like a blanket. Taka started to rub his hands together very fast, causing static to run through him. Ryoma pulled a bit of watre from his wrap and slid it gently under Taka's feet, letting the lytening multiply without going into the ground. Momo pulled out a lighter and lit it catching the flame in his hand and multiplying it into a small bonfire hovering above his hand.

Jirou pulled up a tree from the ground that pushed him pretty high and fell into a nap. Atobe watched him and rolled his eyes. He knew the point of this level. They were supposed to work on teamwork. Ryoga started making clicking noises that seemed to be distracting the other team. Atobe decided to try and get into Momo's mind. He got in way too easily.

_Just waitin' for Ryoma's call on this one. Not sure what Atobe's up to. I'm hungry…_ Atobe pulled out of Momo's mind and glanced at Ryoma, who wasn't paying attention to Atobe.

"You should shock Ryoga first, Taka-san. I'll get him wet first." Ryoma whispered, knowing his brother probably heard anyway. Ryoga's glare only confirmed it. Ryoma smiled and just pointed at him and Ryoga's body contorted in pain. By the time Ryoma stopped, Ryoga was sweaty and slightly confused. Taka took that chance to shock him a little. Ryoga passed out from sensory overload. Atobe sniffed in disdain before turning to Ryoma. Ryoma was looking up at Jirou with a contemplating face. Atobe decided to take that chance to try to get into Ryoma's mind.

Instantly, Atobe found a wall of solid watre. Remembering what Ajian said about watre not being solid, Atobe tried to push through. He was surprised and scared when he started to drown in Ryoma's defensive wall. Ryoma seemed to notice and instantly touched Taka, shocking them both in the process. Ryoma, wrapped in the watre, had his personal shock multiplied. Atobe's shock, however since he was drowning, was twice as fast, passing out and leaving Ryoma's mind. Ryoma lay on the ground panting, while Momo stood over him protectively. He threw his fyre at the tree that Jirou was in and watched it burn out from under him. Ryoma had enough energy to throw some watre under Jirou so he didn't crash into the ground. Taka gave a small shock which merely sent Jirou back to dreamland.

"_Set 4 wins. Good job guys. Looks like you guys have passed Level 2! Time to go back."_ Ajian said, standing up with a smile, dispersing the barrier, allowing Tezuka and Fuji to run over to Ryoma.

"I'm fine guys. Taka didn't know I was going to touch him so I got the full blast. I'll be fine with bed rest and food. I promise. You can baby me when we get back." Ryoma said as he tried to stay awake.

"Let's go back guys."

* * *

Sorry if it seems a little short. i hope i didn't miss anything that needs to be explained. If any of the words seem misspelled, THAT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE! IT IS ON PURPOSE! sorry, i'm a grammar freak and it was hard for me to write naturally. I kept having to go back and spell it the Arienian way. I'll post a list of who has what power and what colours match and some translations.

_Apples and Starlings _and_ CSI: JAPAN_ have also been updated finally. THe next update should be on New Years, but if you don't see anything, it will be up on January 28.

Please read and review!

Lovishnesses, Lonely Rain.


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